New Delhi: Nearly three weeks after businessman Arun Lohia was fatally shot inside his SUV near Chhatarpur Metro Station in South Delhi, two of the alleged shooters were injured and arrested during a police encounter on the Chirag Delhi–Khanpur stretch on Thursday. Investigations revealed that the killing stemmed from a land dispute. A third suspect was also taken into custody.According to police, the murder took place on May 15. The victim, Arun, a resident of Aya Nagar and owner of several local warehouses, was attacked around 1 pm while returning from Saket Court with his father, Rambir Lohia. Two men approached their vehicle and opened fire while they were stuck in traffic.Deputy commissioner of police (South) Ankit Chauhan formed a team led by inspector (AATS) Umesh Yadav to investigate the incident. “The team analysed CCTV footage to trace the suspects’ routes,” police said.Images developed from the footage helped identify the assailants. On Thursday, a tip-off led police to their location along the Chirag Delhi–Khanpur stretch.“Around 3 am, a cop saw them on a motorcycle near Chirag Delhi. As the suspects tried to flee, they were closely monitored,” DCP Chauhan said. The duo attempted to escape by driving onto the footpath and making a sharp U-turn, but their bike skidded. When ordered to surrender, they opened fire. In the exchange, both sustained gunshot wounds to their legs. One of their bullets struck the bulletproof vest of head constable Kamal Prakash.The attackers were identified as Deepak and Yogesh, bothresidents of Aya Nagar. They were taken to AIIMS Trauma Centre. During questioning, they confessed to killing Arun and led police to the weapons used in the crime. Recovered items included a Chinese Star automatic pistol (.25 mm), a 9 mm pistol, four empty cartridges, nine live rounds, and the motorcycle used.A third accused, Ajay, was arrested near Asian Market in Pushp Vihar, where he arrived to meet his associates. He was found with a country-made pistol and three live cartridges. A separate case was registered against him.Police said the motive was a long-standing property dispute that turned violent last year, leading to a criminal case. Arun was booked for attempted murder in April 2024, a case that is still under trial. A source added that the confrontation in 2023 left one of the attackers injured, prompting a complaint and a subsequent panchayat meeting to resolve the matter.Records revealed that Deepak had prior involvement in two criminal cases, while Yogesh was booked in four.
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