2 sharpshooters of Nandu Gang wanted for Panchkula triple murder nabbed from Bengaluru
Delhi Police’s Special Cell arrested the two accused, identified as Sahil, alias Poli, and Vijay Gehlot on the intervening night between Wednesday and Thursday, said offivials
Wanted for the chilling triple murder that rocked Panchkula on the night of December 23, 2024, two sharpshooters of Kapil Sangwan, alias Nandu gang, were arrested from Bengaluru, police confirmed on Thursday.
Delhi Police’s Special Cell arrested the two accused, identified as Sahil, alias Poli, and Vijay Gehlot on the intervening night between Wednesday and Thursday, they said.
The accused were arrested after a chase of 5,000 kilometres at various locations in Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan and Karnataka, police said in a statement.
“Both suspects were wanted for their involvement in multiple crimes, including the high-profile triple murder case in Panchkula, and daylight murders in Tilak Nagar and Kakrola in Delhi,” a senior police officer said.
The officer further said a team tracked the fugitives’ movements and conducted multiple raids across Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Karnataka before apprehending them.
₹2 lakh, 3 phones recovered
Three mobile phones and ₹2 lakh in cash were recovered from the duo. These items were being analysed for further evidence and connections to their criminal network, he added.
Sahil was first arrested in 2018 for a robbery case in Najafgarh, Delhi. While in custody, he became acquainted with Sachin Chhikara, a prominent member of the Nandu gang, police said.
Upon his release, Sahil committed further crimes under the gang’s instructions, including the murder of Roshan, alias Chhota, in Najafgarh, they said. Vijay was one of the most trusted operatives of Nandu gang.
Panchkula police will be obtaining their production warrants for further probe in connection with the triple murder.
Around 2.40 am on December 24, Vinit Gehlot, alias Vicky, 34, his 17-year-old nephew, and Vandana, 22, alias Nia, were exiting Sultanat Hotel in Panchkula’s Burj Kotia area after a birthday party when two assailants shot them dead in the hotel’s parking lot.
Police had later confirmed that the attack was triggered by a longstanding rivalry between the Manjeet Mahal and Nandu gangs.
Police had identified the assailants as Sahil and Vijay, who they said had travelled from Himachal Pradesh to Panchkula with the sole intent of targeting Vinit, a member of the Manjeet Mahal gang.
Vinit also had five cases against him, including murder, robbery and extortion. In 2019, Vinit was injured during a police shootout with the Dwarka gang in Najafgarh.
His elder brother, Ashok Gehlot, who is lodged in Mandoli jail in Delhi under the MCOCA Act, faces 18 cases of murder, extortion and Arms Act.
Gang run by UK-based gangster
The Nandu gang is notorious for its involvement in violent crimes, particularly in Delhi and surrounding regions. This gang is managed by UK-based gangster Kapil Sangwan, alias Nandu. In March this year, Sangwan claimed responsibility for gunning down Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) Haryana president Nafe Singh Rathee in a social media post.
The post said Rathee was killed due to his close friendship with Sangwan’s rival, gangster Manjeet Mahal. Sangwan, a native of Najafgarh, has been embroiled in a longstanding feud with the Mahal faction, resulting in numerous casualties over the years.