"Gang war rose in Cong regime..." BJP leader GC Kataria on murder of history-sheeter Raju Thet

Sikar (Rajasthan) [India], December 4 : Rajasthan Assembly Leader of Opposition and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader GC Kataria on Sunday hit out at Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot over the killing of Gangster Raju Thet in a 'gang war', saying that the gang wars have returned in the state under the Congress regime.
Speaking to ANI, the BJP leader said, "Raju Thet was killed by another gang today. We suppressed gang wars during our regime and almost threw them out of the state. But the gang wars rose again after this government came. Maintaining law and order situation and taking strict action against the culprits is every government's responsibility."
Earlier on Saturday, Raju Thet was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Udyog Nagar in Rajasthan's Sikar district, police said.
A gangster, Raju Theth, was shot dead by four men at the gate of his house in Rajasthan's Sikar district on Saturday. Theth had several criminal cases against him and was on bail. He was the rival of dreaded criminal Anandpal Singh, who was killed in a police encounter in June 2017.
Sikar Superintendent of Police Kunwar Rastradeep told reporters here today that "There has been an incident of firing. Raju Thet, who has been involved in crime for a long time sustained bullet injuries. As per the latest information available to me, he died."
Thet, according to the police official had several criminal cases against him and was out on bail.
A heavy police force was deployed in Sikar and surrounding areas and Police said they have installed barricades and were checking vehicles.
Following the shootout, a Facebook post by a user by the name of Rohit Godara claimed responsibility for Thet's killing.
Taking to Facebook, Godara claimed he is a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and the killing was done in revenge on behalf of the attack on gangsters Anandpal Singh and Balbir Banuda. The user also mentioned the names of gangsters Ankit Bhadoo and Monu Bana in his post.
Gangster Anandpal was killed in a police encounter and since then members of the Anandpal gang are said to have joined the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, and both gangs were involved in the incident in Sikar today.
According to purported CCTV footage from the shoot-out site this morning, Theth was shot at near the gate of the hostel of a coaching institute under the Udyog Nagar Police station area.
As per the latest updates, one person identified as Tarachand Jaat, a resident of Chhoti Khatu of Nagaur who sustained injuries in the shootout also succumbed to his injuries, police sources said Reportedly, Tarachand Jaat had come to meet his daughter living in the hostel and got caught in the firing.
"Four people were involved in the firing. The people responsible for the incident will be nabbed soon. We are investigating the validity of the social media user's post and verifying it," Sikar Superintendent of Police Kunwar Rastradeep said.
The SP said that based on the CCTV footage from the incident site police have launched a search for the accused.
Rajasthan DGP Umesh Mishra told ANI: "Police have identified some accused. Our teams are after them. The accused are suspected to be headed towards the Haryana border. More will be revealed once they are nabbed. This is basically the result of gang war."
Meanwhile, a Delhi court today extended by four days the National Investigation Agency (NIA) remand of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi in connection with the murder case of Punjabi singer-politician Sidhu Moosewala. Bishnoi was produced before the court through video conference at the end of his 10-day remand. NIA while seeking the remand of Bishnoi stated the gangster's involvement is also suspected in today's encounter in Rajasthan.
Rajasthan minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas told ANI that a thorough probe will be done and all the culprits will be brought to justice. "Two or three similar incidents took place in Jaipur recently and all the criminals involved were arrested," he said.
"I appeal to people not to indulge in any criminal activities. There has been a sharp spike in the gang wars, the Rajasthan government will take all possible steps and put these gangsters behind the bars," Khachariyawas said.
Taking to Twitter, the Deputy leader of Opposition in the Rajasthan state Assembly, Rajendra Rathore wrote, "The murder of notorious gangster Raju Thet is a question mark on the law and order situation in the state. When the police do not crack down on the criminals, then the criminals will fearlessly carry out the incident of gang war against each other, due to which the state will become more insecure".

Slamming the state government over the law and order situation in the state, Rathore further said, "Today Shekhawati area has become a refuge for criminals where gangsters are openly challenging the police system by committing murders openly and confessing it on social media. The confession of the police has bowed down before the criminals and the police administration seems helpless".
Rathore, coming down heavily on the Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot stated, "On the one hand there are open firing, murders, gang wars, extortions are being demanded from the traders, the common people are forced to live under the shadow of terror, on the other hand, the government has left the security of the people to the hands of the criminals".
"He is engaged in the service of Gandhi and India Jodo Yatra", said Rathore further.
Heavy police force has been deployed in Sikar and surrounding areas and Police said they have installed barricades and were checking vehicles.
Meanwhile, following the shootout, supporters of Thet and an organisation, Veer Taj Sena, announced a shutdown in Sikar. They refused to accept the body or allow a postmortem until the accused are arrested.