New Delhi, Jul 12 (IANS): The Delhi Police's Crime Branch has possibly averted a major gang war with the arrest of a dreaded criminal of the infamous Ashok Pradhan gang, an official said Tuesday.

The accused, identified as Rohit alias Lamba, was previously involved in multiple cases of murders, especially the sensational killing of gangster Kala Aasodiya in 2017 while he was being produced at a court in Haryana's Jhajjar.

Kala Asodiya was maternal uncle as well as mentor of dreaded gangster Neeraj Bawania, a staunch rival gang of Ashok Pradhan gang.

DCP, Crime Branch, Rohit Meena said the accused Rohit was recently found involved in attempt to murder case of Najafgarh area.

"On January 12, accused Rohit, along with his associates, had fired upon one person. During investigation, the local police had arrested four accused persons, namely Uday Dahiya, Deepen, Kapil Sharma and Prashant. However, the accused Rohit and his associate Gaurav alias Masala were evading arrest," he said.

After a tip-off was received about accused Rohit's location, the Crime Branch sleuths immediately swung into action and arrested him near Vipin Garden, Chander Vihar Nala, in Uttam Nagar area of west Delhi.

According to the DCP, Rohit extorted protection money from satta operators in Najafgarh and Uttam Nagar area. "He fires upon his target if someone refuses to give him protection money," the official said.

Most of the Ashok Pradhan gang members have been arrested, including the gang leader Ashok Pradhan while Rohit alias Lamba was absconding till now.

Pradhan and Rohit were planning to kill rival gangster Bawania and his associates lodged in different jails during their production in courts to take revenge for the killing of their associates.

Bawania is presently lodged in Tihar jail in a case under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). Keeping in view the increasing criminal activities of Manjeet Mahal and Ashok Pradhan gangs, the Crime Branch had invoked provisions of MCOCA Act against Mahal too.