NEW DELHI (XINHUA, AFP) - Gangster Jitender Gogi, who was produced in court on Friday (Sept 24) in the Indian capital city, was shot dead by rival gang men who posed as lawyers and barged into the hearing.

The shoot-out took place at Rohini court complex in north Delhi, police said.

According to the police, two men dressed as lawyers fired upon Gogi inside the courtroom, killing him on the spot. The attackers were immediately shot dead by security personnel on duty.

The shooting was the result of years of rivalry between Gogi's gang and the rival "Tillu gang", the police said, adding that more than 25 people have died over the years in clashes between the two gangs.

Gogi, who was about 30, had been linked to brutal gang battles, murders, robberies and extortion in Delhi and states across northern India. He was first arrested in 2016, but escaped from police custody, and had evaded capture until last year.

Gogi's violent reputation had made him a target for police and rivals, with media reports saying that other gangs were enraged at his moves into their territory.

"Two people from rival gang opened fire at Jitender Gogi inside the court. The police present there retaliated swiftly and killed those two assailants," a senior police officer said. "Total three dead, including Gogi."

The firing incident triggered panic inside the court complex. A judge, lawyers and others were reportedly present in the courtroom during the shooting.

A video, which showed the moment when the gangsters started firing, also showed two children running amid the sound of gunshots.

Reports said the Rohini court complex, which often deals with cases linked to high profile criminals, is a highly secured area and visitors are thoroughly checked before entering the premises. However, the shooting incident marks a huge security lapse inside the complex.