New Delhi, Sep 14 (PTI): A gym trainer was shot dead in south Delhi's Aya Nagar on Monday morning and police said they were probing whether the shooting is linked to a longstanding rivalry in the village.

Police are also verifying the authenticity of a social media post attributed to gangster Himanshu Bhau, who is based abroad, claiming responsibility for the killing, sources said, adding that they are looking into whether the claim has any connection with the killing.

Vijay Kumar was in a gym when some men allegedly called him outside, following which two bike-borne assailants opened fire at him near Hansa Chowk in the Fatehpur Beri area, according to his family and police.

Around 15 rounds were fired during the incident, which took place at around 10 am, police said.

"Vijay Kumar sustained multiple gunshot injuries and later succumbed. An FIR has been registered and multiple teams have been formed to trace and apprehend the accused, who fled the spot. The motive initially seems to arise from personal enmity," Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Anant Mittal said.

Later a social media post purportedly by Himanshu Bhau claimed responsibility and issued a warning in Hindi, saying, "Bhagne se kam nahi chalega field me aao. Bhagne nahi dunga kisi ko (Running away won't help, come out to the field. I wont let anyone run away)".

The post mentioned "Bhau gang" and "Since-2020", police sources said.

The latest development comes amid heightened police scrutiny of the activities of the Himanshu Bhau gang in Delhi and the National Capital Region. In the murder of 55-year-old dairy businessman Ratan Lohia in Aya Nagar earlier this year, police had arrested four alleged members of the Himanshu Bhau gang, sources said.

Police are also examining the possibility of Monday's killing being connected to a long-running rivalry between families in Aya Nagar, sources said.

According to Vijay's uncle Devendra, the assailants allegedly knew the victim was inside the gym and called him outside before opening fire, apparently to avoid the CCTV cameras inside the premises.

"He was a trainer. His parents have died. He has a sister, wife and two children. We are being told that he suffered two gunshot injuries to his head and other injuries," Devendra told PTI.

He claimed that the incident appeared to stem from an old rivalry between different groups in the village and said several people had allegedly been killed in the past in connection with the dispute.

The deceased's sister Sudha said, "My brother never had any argument or dispute with anyone in the village. He was a gym trainer and was completely focused on his work. There has been a longstanding rivalry between two families in the village. My brother's only mistake was that he was friends with a member of one of those families." Vijay's wife Ritu said her husband had no personal enmity with anyone.

"My husband used to wake up at 4:45 am and leave for the gym around 5 am every day. There has been a rivalry between two families in the village. I had even asked my husband to keep his distance from them. But today, they killed my husband. He was innocent and had nothing to do with the rivalry. He was shot dead because of a dispute between others," she said.

The latest firing comes amid a series of violent incidents in and around Aya Nagar, with investigators examining whether rivalries and gang links are playing a role in the attacks.

Lohia was shot dead near his house in Aya Nagar earlier this year in what police sources had described as a carefully planned attack. More than 60 rounds were allegedly fired at him after the assailants conducted reconnaissance for several hours.

Investigators had been probing multiple angles, including a possible contract killing, and examining allegations by family members that the murder was linked to an earlier killing in the area.

In Lohia's murder, family members had alleged that the killing was carried out by Rambir Lohia and his relatives to avenge the death of Rambir's son Arun (24), who was shot dead near Chattarpur Metro Station earlier this year.

Police sources said they also suspected the involvement of gangster Neeraj Faridpuriya in the Lohia murder and were investigating whether the attack was carried out by shooters based in Haryana. The accused were also suspected to have travelled from Faridabad and abandoned their vehicle there.

Police caught four alleged members of the Himanshu Bhau gang in connection with the Lohia murder, sources said.

Monday's shooting is also the second time in a month that the Himanshu Bhau gang has purportedly claimed responsibility for a killing in Delhi.

On September 3, a property dealer was gunned down outside a gym in Narela's Bankner village. Two alleged sharpshooters of the Himanshu Bhau gang were arrested in connection with that killing, police sources said.

The pattern of the two incidents, including the alleged targeting of persons near gyms, is being examined by investigators, they said.

However, police have not officially established any connection between Lohia's murder, the September 3 Narela shooting and Monday's killing of Vijay Kumar.

Senior police officers rushed to the spot after the firing and security personnel were deployed in the area to prevent any further escalation.

Multiple teams are conducting raids at various locations to identify and apprehend the accused, police said. Further investigation is underway. PTI SSJ BM SKY SKY

(This story is published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. No editing has been done in the headline or the body by ABP Live.)