‘Bhagwanpuria’s aide murdered gangster Gopi’
JALANDHAR:GANGSTER Harminder Singh alias Mannu Mehmapuria of Jaggu Bhagwanpuria gang had murdered rival gang’s dreaded gangster Gopi Ghanshampuria in 2017, revealed the counter intelligence wing of Punjab Police with the arrest of Mannu, along with his accomplice, here on Wednesday.
Ghanshampuria and Mannu were among a few category-a gangsters who were on run for the past several years. The information about murder of Gopi, a member of Harry Chatha gang, was revealed by Mannu after his arrest, said counter Intelligence AIG Harkamalpreet Singh Khakh, adding that police had no clue about Gopi’s murder before Mannu’s arrest.
Gopi Ghanshampuria and Chatha were involved in Nabha jailbreak in 2016. Apart from this, Gopi was also wanted in kidnapping of an Ajnala-based doctor Munish Kumar.
“Mannu along with three gang members, including Saraj Sandhu, Arun Kumar and Dharminder alias Goli, had killed Gopi in Batala in November 2017 and burnt his body before throwing his semi-burnt body into Beas river,” Khakh said, adding that Bhagwanpuria had asked Mannu to keep the murder a secret.
POLICE SAY MATTER CAME TO THE FORE
ONLY AFTER ARREST OF GANGSTER HARMINDER; THREE PISTOLS, A RIFLE AND 161 CARTRIDGES ALSO RECOVERED
GANG RIVALRY
Bhagwanpuria and Harry Chatha were arch rivals. Bhagwanpuria had instructed his close aide Mannu to eliminate Gopi to finish the gang.
“Currently, Bhagwanpuria is lodged in Patiala jail and Mannu had recently made a failed attempt to free him from jail. Harry Chatha is on run,” said Khakh.
ACCOMPLICE ALSO HELD
Mannu, a resident of village Mehmachak, was held along with his accomplice Honey Kumar of Achli Gate in Batala town of Gurdaspur district near Bhogpur here, after a brief encounter with police. The accused had opened fire on a team led by Inspector Pritpal Singh when asked to surrender. The team has also seized three pistols, a rifle, 161 live cartridges and a spray used by criminals against cops to make them unconscious.
He was arrested when he was headed towards Bhogpur area for committing a crime along with his aide Honey on two different cars with huge cache of weapons and ammunition.
MANNU MET GANGSTER BHAGWANPURIA IN AMRITSAR JAIL
Mannu started working for Bhagwanpuria after he shared a barrack with him in Amritsar jail in 2015. He was arrested in a murder case.
In 2017, Mannu had escaped from police custody with the help of his group members in Batala and committed many murders and bank robberies in various districts of Punjab. He was also involved in several incidents of robbing jewellery and snatching vehicles.
WANTED FOR KILLING SARPANCH, ATTACKING POLICE PARTY
“He along with Ankit Bhadu of Bhagwanpuria gang and others had killed a sarpanch in Rajasthan on the directions of Jaggu and Lawrence Bishnoi. He has confessed to have executed five bank robberies, including two in Hoshiarpur, one in Batala, one in Tarn-taran and one at Guru Bazar in Amritsar,” Khakh said.
Mannu had also assaulted a police party and helped gangster Shubam escape from police custody.
During preliminary interrogation, Honey revealed his close association with Mannu and gangster Rana Kandowaila. Earlier, two cases of theft were also registered against him.
Meanwhile, a fresh case under Section 307 (attempt to murder) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and section 25 of the Arms act has been registered against both accused at Bhogpur police station in Jalandhar.