Two held for firing outside east Delhi hotel over billing dispute; pistols seized

Two individuals, including a 19-year-old man and a juvenile, were arrested and charged for allegedly opening fire outside a hotel in east Delhi's Vivek Vihar area over a club billing dispute.

A man was arrested and a juvenile apprehended for allegedly opening fire outside a hotel in east Delhi's Vivek Vihar area earlier this week over a dispute related to club billing, an official said on Monday.

The Special Cell of the Delhi Police also recovered two semi-automatic pistols and four live cartridges from the accused, the officer said.

The incident occurred outside Ginger Hotel in Vivek Vihar on the intervening night of May 20-21 when masked assailants allegedly fired four rounds at the hotel gate before fleeing, the police said in a statement.

A case was registered at Vivek Vihar police station and an investigation was launched by the Special Cell that developed inputs about the suspects' movement in the Ghazipur area.

''Based on a tip-off received on May 23, a trap was laid near Link Road at Ghazipur Paper Market, behind Ghazipur police station, where the two accused were apprehended,'' the officer said.

The police arrested Ajay alias Ajju, 19, and a juvenile and during a search, one semi-automatic pistol and two live cartridges were allegedly recovered from Ajay, while another pistol and two cartridges were seized from the juvenile.

Investigation revealed that the accused and their associates had nursed a grudge against the hotel management following a quarrel over billing during a party held at the club earlier this month, police said.

''To take revenge and intimidate the management, the accused persons carried out the firing outside the hotel gate,'' the officer said.

Police said Ajay had earlier been involved in an attempt-to-murder case. Efforts are underway to trace the remaining accused and ascertain the source of the illegal firearms, police added.