Two weeks after the shootout that killed three people outside Hotel Sultanat in Burj Kotian after they were exiting a birthday party, Panchkula police arrested two 34-year-old men who were involved in the recce of the spot. The two main shooters, however, continue to remain absconding.
As per police, the accused were identified as Surendra Kumar, alias Sindhi; resident of Kaithal, Haryana, and Manoj, alias Jhabbal, a resident of Jind, Haryana. Both were arrested from Zirakpur’s Dhakoli on Monday. Police said the duo was also previously involved in similar cases and were involved in gang activities.
After the incident, police had formed different teams, which carried out raids in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab. The team of Crime Branch, Sector 19, under inspector Nirmal Singh, arrested the two accused based on suspicious activity on their mobile phones.
The two accused had conducted recce first at Hotel Bella Vista and later at Sultanat Hotel where the three were shot dead. The accused will be produced in court on Tuesday where police will ask for their remand in order to trace the main suspects.
The two main suspects, identified as Sahil and Vijay, are members of Delhi’s Nandu Gang and have a long criminal history.
{{/usCountry}}The two main suspects, identified as Sahil and Vijay, are members of Delhi’s Nandu Gang and have a long criminal history.
{{/usCountry}}The vehicle used in the crime, a Honda City, was recovered from Bathinda Railway Station, marking the attackers’ last known location. Police suspect that the violence was a result of a longstanding gang rivalry between Manjeet Mahal Gang and Nandu Gang, both active in Delhi. The victim, Vinit, was a member of the Manjeet Mahal gang and 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.