Sampat kept low profile in Hyderabad to dodge police
CHANDIGARH : Dreaded gangster Sampat Nehra, who was arrested by a special task force (STF) of Haryana Police from Hyderabad on Wednesday, hid his identity saying he was looking for a job in Telangana.
He is being brought to Haryana on a transit remand of five days.
Nehra, 28, a national-level decathlon player, is one of the most-wanted gangsters and a key player of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.
Police officials said Nehra was living in a rented apartment with two youths, who were pursuing MBA, in Hyderabad. They both were unaware of his criminal background and treated him as a friend, who was always busy in his phone, texting and making calls.
Additional director general of police (special operations), Hyderabad, Dayanand Reddy said gangster Lawrence Bishnoi’s brother, who lives abroad, had arranged the accommodation for Nehra.
Deputy inspector general, special task force, Haryana, Satheesh Balan said: “Nehra kept low-profile for a month but kept planning to eliminate his rivals. The gangster was nabbed with the help of Hyderabad police when he left the apartment
for evening walk.”
“Hyderabad cops were in touch with Haryana STF team on phone there as Nehra used to live in police lines at Chandigarh and could have easily recognised them,” added Balan.
The police gathered specific leads by tapping phones of Nehra’s close associates, including his female friend in Hisar.
The gangster was wanted in 12 cases of murder of which five were registered in Rajasthan, four in Haryana and two in Punjab.
He was also involved in six cases of attempt to murder, five of dacoity and extortion in Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Rajasthan.
Nehra and his associates tried to kill Rajender Singh, brother of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) ex-MLA Dilbagh Singh.
The gangster also took the onus to kill Bollywood actor Salman Khan in Jodhpur following threat by Bishnoi, who is presently lodged in Jodhpur jail.
A native of Rajgarh in Rajasthan, Nehra is a son of a retired Chandigarh police assistant sub inspector (ASI) Ram Chander and has studied in DAV College in Sector 10.
Nehra’s aides Ankit Badu of Abohar, Akshay Palda and Raju Bisdoi of Sonepat are yet to be arrested. Punjab gangsters Sukhpreet Singh, alias Bhudha Khosa, and Dilpreet Dhahan were also in touch with Nehra.