Jaggu Bhagwanpuria aide held for giving shelter to gangster Kandowalia’s killers

Police also name five more men for helping alleged killers escape after firing at a private hospital in Amritsar on August 3

A Batala-based man linked to notorious gangster Jagdeep Singh, alias Jaggu Bhagwanpuria was arrested for allegedly providing shelter to the four assailants wanted for killing history sheeter Ranbir Singh, alias Rana Kandowalia.

Police at a private hospital in Amritsar where the firing took place on August 3.

The arrested accused was identified as Nanit Sharma, alias Saurav. The police have also named five more Batala residents — Ladi, Sukhraj Malhi, Jagtar Singh, Prabhjot Chatha and Lali — for helping the four killers escape after Kandowalia was gunned down at a private hospital in Amritsar on August 3.

All the six are also accused of getting one of the four assailants injured in retaliatory firing treated at a private hospital in Batala.

Deputy commissioner of police (investigation) Mukhwinder Singh Bhullar said, “Nanit, who runs a fruit shop in Batala, said he and Sukhraj Malhi are old friends of gangster Mandeep Singh, alias Toofan, a close associate of Bhagwanpuria. On August 3, Nanit and Malhi were having dinner at a dhaba when Toofan called them informing them that he along with others had killed Kandowalia. Toofan also asked Nanit to arrange treatment for Happy Shah, the one who was injured in the retaliatory fire,”

He said, “Nanit and Sukhraj further contacted Ladi, Jagtar, Prabhjot and Lali for arranging treatment for Happy. They got Happy treated at Johal Hospital in Batala. They also helped the Kandowalia killers escape thereafter.”

Toofan and Happy Shah have also been booked for killing Kandowalia, the DCP added. “Our teams are working to nab all the four assailants who killed Kandowalia. Our investigation to ascertain the role of the Batala hospital is still going on,” he said.

Kandowalia, who was facing nearly 15 criminal cases, including that of murder and attempt to murder, was fired upon by four unidentified assailants at a private hospital where he had gone to enquire about his cousin sister’s health. The assailants pumped six bullets into his body.

In the firing that was opened by the assailants on August 3, an associate of Kandowalia, Tejbir Singh Teji, a Student Organization of India (SOI) leader, and the hospital’s guard Arun Kumar were also injured.