New Delhi: A day after Dera Sacha Sauda follower Pradeep Singh was gunned down in Punjab’s Faridkot, the Delhi Police Special Cell Friday nabbed three individuals, including two juveniles, who were allegedly involved in the shooting.
Singh, an accused in the 2015 Bargari sacrilege case and a police protectee, was shot dead by six assailants on motorbikes while he was on his way to his shop around 7.30 am Thursday. Two others, including a gunman of the Punjab Police and another shopkeeper, were injured in the shootout. The incident was captured on CCTV retrieved from the crime spot.
The two apprehended juveniles are from Bhiwani, Haryana. The third individual, named Jitender alias Jeetu, is a resident of Rohtak, Haryana. Jitender is also an accused in the Ambala double murder case where Mohali-based gangster Mohit Rana and Vishal alias Bhola were killed in a gang rivalry. Jitender allegedly works for gangster Kala Rana, associated with the Lawrence Bishnoi group. The Counter Intelligence (CI) team of the Special Cell had been on a manhunt for Jitender.
Meanwhile, the Punjab Police has identified two more alleged shooters named Bhupinder Goldy and Manpreet Mani, both residents of Sadiq road in Faridkot, in Thursday’s shootout.
Speaking to ThePrint, Senior Superintendent of Police (Faridkot), Rajpal Singh, confirmed the identities of the two alleged shooters and added that efforts are being made to nab them.
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Goldy Brar claims responsibility for murder
After Singh’s death Thursday, Canada-based gangster Goldy Brar, who is allegedly the mastermind behind the sensational murder of singer and Congress leader Sidhu Moose Wala earlier this year, had in a purported social media post claimed responsibility for the killing. In the post, he said that governments have changed but nothing conclusive has happened to cases of sacrilege.
“When the CCTV footage of yesterday’s (Thursday) Faridkot murder went viral over social media and national television, the CI unit identified one of the assailants as the same Jitender alias Jeetu, who had been on the run,” Deputy Commission of Police (CI), Manishi Chandra, said.
In the CCTV footage, Jitender can be seen wearing a white cap and an orange-black jacket. The suspect was detained from Bakshiwala in Patiala where he was living in a hideout facilitated by Brar, according to police.
“Preliminary investigation has revealed that there were a total of six assailants. Four from Haryana and two from Punjab,” the DCP said.
All modules of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and its allies are currently being run by Brar, who is an associate of Pakistan-based Harvinder Singh alias Rinda, described by investigative agencies as ‘gangster-turned-Khalistani terrorist’, and Bishnoi, currently lodged in jail.
“Around 55 bullets were fired, out of which 30 were shot at by the three who have been apprehended. Jitender is an old associate of Lawrence Bishnoi – Goldy Brar – Kala Jathedi, the two juveniles were introducted to Brar by Ankit Sersa, an accused in the murder of Sidhu Moose Wala,” the DCP added.
Sersa, a 19-year old, is allegedly the youngest among the singer’s killers.
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