Dehradun, Feb. 14 -- A 45-year-old gangster allegedly facing over 50 criminal cases was shot dead by three unidentified assailants at Silver City Mall on Rajur Road in Dehradun on Friday, with the police suspecting a gang war to be the reason behind the murder, an officer aware of the matter said. According to police, the deceased, identified as Vikram Sharma, a resident of Udham Singh Nagar, was returning from his gym around 10 am when the assailants fired at him and fled the scene. Sharma owned a stone crusher in Udham Singh Nagar, the police added. Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Dehradun Ajai Singh said: "As per eyewitnesses, when the deceased came outside of his gym inside the shopping complex, two of the assailants who were waiting for him opened fire at him when he stepped on the escalator. They fled the scene with the third accused on a motorcycle." The accused died on the spot, the SSP said. "The deceased was facing over 50 criminal cases, including 20 that of murder. He was a gangster in Jharkhand. We suspect that there was a gang war behind the murder. We, however, are working on all angles. We are also in coordination with the Jharkhand police." Superintendent of police (city) Pramod Kumar said the deceased was living in Dehradun in a flat on Canal Road for a decade. "We are working on the case," he said. Inspector general of police Garhwal Rajeev Swaroop said the special task force (STF) along with the Dehradun police have started an investigation into the case. "We have launched a search for the accused. We will soon solve the case," he said. This was the second murder in the state capital in 48 hours and the fifth murder in 16 days. On February 11, a 42-year-old son of a martyred Colonel was shot dead near Tibetan Market. The state Congress stepped up its attack on the government over "deteriorating" law and order. "Dehradun has emerged as the country's crime capital as there is a steady surge in criminal incidents, including heinous offences such as murder, robbery, dacoity and rape. Law and order has completely collapsed not only in Dehradun but across the state," said Suryakant Dhasmana, state Congress vice president. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said the state government is committed to safety of every citizen and the arrest of criminals in each case is a testament of robust law and order situation in the state. BJP state media in-charge Manveer Singh Chauhan said: "The government is committed to public safety. The fact that criminals have been behind bars in each case is a testament to the robust law and order situation." "Some tragic incidents have occurred recently, but the perpetrators have been put behind bars after each incident, and the police will soon solve the murder case that occurred in the capital today," Chauhan said....