New Delhi: Delhi witnessed one of its most alarming crime incidents of the year within the first 48 hours of 2026, as a group of armed assailants fired 25 rounds in just 120 seconds outside a businessman’s residence in Rohini Sector 24, triggering widespread panic and raising serious questions about law and order in the national capital.
The late evening firing, around 5:30 pm on January 2, was carried out in a posh, gated residential area, where three bike-borne attackers arrived, opened indiscriminate fire using what police suspect to be automatic weapons, and fled before anyone could react.
Bullet marks were found across the street, and the windows of a parked car were shattered in the firing. An Innova and a WagonR, parked outside the house, were riddled with bullets. Police later clarified that neither vehicle belonged to the targeted businessman, suggesting the attackers acted in haste without proper reconnaissance.
Extortion Angle Emerges
Investigators say the businessman, who runs a property dealing business and a cardboard manufacturing unit in Delhi, had received WhatsApp calls from an international number between December 27 and 28, demanding ₹3 crore as extortion. The businessman did not inform the police at that stage.
To intimidate him, the attackers allegedly carried out the firing and later sent a WhatsApp threat message, warning:
“This time we fired at your car. Next time, the bullets will be fired at your wife and children if the money is not paid.”
CCTV Footage Reveals Modus Operandi
CCTV footage now in police custody shows three men on a motorcycle entering the society. Two assailants walked ahead while the third followed on the bike. After firing 25 to 30 rounds, all three escaped on the motorcycle within minutes.
The sheer brazenness of the attack—carried out while residents, workers, and children were present nearby—has left the neighbourhood in fear. Police personnel have now been deployed outside the businessman’s residence, with armed security posted as the threat is believed to persist.
Gang Angle Under Probe
The Delhi Police Special Cell has taken over the investigation, suspecting the involvement of the Himanshu Bhau gang, which is known to operate across Delhi, Haryana, and NCR. The gang has been active since 2020 and is notorious for using internet-based international calls to extort money from businessmen, followed by firing outside homes or showrooms to instil fear.
Police sources note that a similar firing incident linked to extortion was reported in Tilak Nagar in 2024, pointing to a recurring pattern.
Multiple teams have been formed to track the attackers, analyse CCTV footage, and activate local intelligence networks. The incident has once again put the spotlight on the growing influence of organised extortion gangs and the urgent need for tighter urban policing.
