Prime witness of Ambala gang war dies at PGI, two shooters identified

Mohali gangster Mohit Rana and his associate Vishal, alias Bhola, were shot by three assailants in Ambala Cantonment on January 20

Four days after a Mohali-based gangster, Mohit Rana, was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Ambala Cantonment, his associate and prime witness, Vishal, alias Bhola, succumbed to injuries at PGIMER, Chandigarh, on Monday morning.

Gangster Mohit Rana’s friend Vishal, who was critically injured in Thursday’s shooting (right), succumbed to bullet wounds at Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, on Monday. (HT file photo)

Vishal was referred to Chandigarh minutes after he was brought in a critical condition with multiple bullet wounds at the civil hospital in Ambala Cantonment on January 20.

Mohit, who died on the spot, had received 24 bullet injuries, while at least 10 bullets were fired at Vishal.

“Vishal died at 4am on Monday due to multiple-organ failure. The body will be handed over to the Ambala police after autopsy on Tuesday,” doctors said.

On January 20, the assailants, suspected to be three in number, had fired more than 30 shots within seconds, killing Mohit on the spot and leaving Vishal injured outside DAV Riverside School on Jagadhri Road.

The Ford EcoSport used in the crime was recovered in Kurukshetra on Sunday.

Meanwhile, police have identified two shooters in the double murder, both belonging to Rohtak. They are Aakash, alias Gitti, of Janta Colony and Pankaj Budhwar, alias Pinku, of Sunariya. They are expected to be arrested soon.

Gangster Monu Rana nabbed

Gangster Shamsher Singh, alias Monu Rana, was arrested on Sunday for criminal conspiracy in the double murder.

CIA-2 in-charge Virender Walia said police presented him before a court on Monday to seek two-day remand, but only one day was allowed.

Shamsher was sentenced to life imprisonment by a court in 2019 in connection with the 2014 murder of Mohammad Mushtaq, a member of the Bhupi Rana gang that victim Mohit Rana was also associated with.

The recent shootout is said to be a fallout of an enmity over the 2014 murder case.

Shamsher was granted bail by the Punjab and Haryana high court in October last year on medical grounds, his counsel Maan Singh Kakran said.