Fitness trainer held in Pondicherry for assaulting Delhi gym owner

A 38-year-old online fitness trainer, who had been on the run after allegedly assaulting a gym owner in central Delhi, was arrested from a hotel in Pondicherry, police said on Monday.

The case dates back to August 5, when a gym owner in Rajinder Nagar was attacked inside his premises. In his complaint, filed on August 13, he alleged that one of his clients, Vikas Solanki, had earlier abused and threatened him with dire consequences.

According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Nidhin Valsan, Solanki, along with Rahul alias Pankaj Choudhary and several accomplices, stormed into the complainant’s gym on August 11. The group, armed with a pistol, revolver, rods and sticks, assaulted the owner and attempted to tamper with evidence by stealing the digital video recorder (DVR) of the CCTV cameras.

While Solanki was arrested soon after the incident, Choudhary and his associates managed to escape. Investigators tracked their movements across Delhi, Bengaluru and Pondicherry, but the accused frequently shifted locations to evade arrest.

Also Read: Delhi: Clinics rebranded, but the spirit remains the same

The breakthrough came on August 29, when a police team, acting on specific intelligence, raided a hotel in the Saint Martin area of Pondicherry and apprehended Choudhary. During interrogation, he confessed to leading the attack and admitted to purchasing a black air gun resembling a pistol from Sadar Bazar to threaten people. The weapon was later recovered from his residence.

Police records show that Choudhary is a habitual offender with at least five previous cases registered against him, including a 2012 murder at Ranjit Nagar Police Station. He also faces charges of possessing illegal weapons, assault and criminal intimidation.