Air India crew member's murder: Noida Police arrest 2, confirm gang war

Noida, Jan 20 (PTI) Noida Police on Saturday confirmed that the murder of an Air India crew member here was a fallout of a gang war as it arrested two suspects from Delhi in connection with the case.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Noida, Harish Chander, said those held are part of a gang involved in the killing of Suraj Mann in a sensational shootout near Sector 104 market on Friday afternoon.

Mann, 32, was sitting inside his car and about to go home after gym when three unidentified bike-borne assailants targeted him, opening multiple rounds of fire at him and in the air, he added.

The DCP said that Mann, who worked with Air India as a crew member, is the brother of Pravesh Mann, a gangster lodged in Delhi's Mandoli jail.

The attack was planned by Kapil Mann, another gangster and rival of Pravesh's gang, Chander said, adding he is also lodged in the Mandoli jail.

The DCP said it came to light during the investigation that "Kapil and Pravesh have an old rivalry".

"They belong to Kheri Khurd village under Shahbad Dairy police station limits in Delhi. Kapil's father and uncle were murdered in the past and Pravesh's name had cropped up in that case as an accused," he added.

The DCP, who was flanked by Additional DCP Manish Mishra and Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Rajneesh Verma, said that "Kapil was frustrated at not being able to avenge the killing of his father and uncle".

Chander said that two members of Kapil's gang, including Dhiraj Mann and Arun alias Mannu Mann, have been arrested as part of the investigation into Friday's murder in Noida.

While Dhiraj is the cousin of Kapil, Arun's brother was attacked by Pravesh's gang in the past, he added.

The DCP further said this is the "fifth murder that has taken place due to the rivalry between the two groups".

An FIR has been lodged in connection with the case at the Sector 39 police station under Indian Penal Code (IPC) provisions for murder and criminal conspiracy, police said.

The names of some other people, who are suspected to be involved in the case, have come to light and further investigation is underway, they said. PTI