Aspiring to join Bishnoi’s gang, student turns shooter

FIRING OUTSIDE BIZMAN’S HOUSE One of the 5 shooters who opened fire outside a Sec-33 house held; was pursuing hotel mgmt from pvt varsity in Mohali

CHANDIGARH: Eager to join the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, a 23-year-old Ludhiana youth pursuing hotel management course from a private university in Mohali turned shooter to execute the firing outside a businessman’s house in Sector 33, Chandigarh, on May 31, police said after his arrest on Saturday.

Identified as Karan Sharma, he was one of the five men who had fired 17 shots outside the bungalow of hotelier Rakesh Singla, what police said was a targeted attack on his younger brother, liquor baron Arvind Singla.

This is the third arrest in the case after Sewak alias, Guri, 25, who lives and runs a gym in Kharar, and Kulwinder Singh, alias Kala, 40, of Sarangpur village were held for their alleged role in the crime. However, Karan is the first shooter to be arrested.

“Karan is one of the shooters. The earlier arrests were of people who provided logistical support,” said Manoj Kumar Meena, superintendent of police (SP, crime),

Chandigarh.

Meena said after committing the crime, Karan was hiding in Mauli Jagran, waiting for further instructions. He was arrested following disclosures made by Sewak. He will be produced in court on Sunday.

BISHNOI’S AIDE GAVE ORDERS FROM JAIL

Lawrence Bishnoi, who studied from DAV College, Sector 10, has been running his gang in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan from behind the bars. He had even threatened to kill film actor Salman Khan.

Investigations revealed that Bishnoi, who is lodged in the Bharatpur jail in Rajasthan, planned the attack and got it executed through his key aide Deepu Banur, who is lodged in the Ambala jail in Haryana.

Karan was staying in Banur and studying in a private university. “He got in touch with Deepu Banur through Facebook in February this year, aiming to become a part of the gang,” said a senior police official, privy to the investigations.

“It was Deepu who directed Karan to execute the firing along with four other gang members,” said Meena.

Karan was reportedly told that if he succeeds, he would become a part of the gang. Though he was also promised money, no payment had been made yet, said sources.

To unearth the conspiracy and ascertain the motive, police are now seeking Deepu’s custody. “We have sought his production remand. He is likely to be produced before court on June 9,” said Nilambari Vijay Jagadale, senior superintendent of police (SSP), Chandigarh.

ARRESTED GYM OWNER SPILLED THE BEANS

“Deepu was in direct touch with Sewak, after the two came in contact in the Ambala jail. Sewak had provided logistical support to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang on earlier occasions too,” said sources.

Sewak, during his interrogation, allegedly told police that Deepu had called him from jail, asking him to contact Bishnoi for some work. Sewak, in his initial questioning, had told police that he had received a WhatsApp call from Bishnoi, asking him to arrange a vehicle for his men who were coming to Chandigarh for sightseeing.

He had then borrowed a Ford Ikon from Gurdeep Singh of Banur and handed it to the men, who executed the shooting. Gurdeep has become an approver for the police, and it was on his statement that Sewak was arrested.