Punjab gangster Kulveer Naruana, accomplice shot dead in Bathinda

Former gunman Manpreet Singh Manna, who is suspected to have opened fire at the gangster, has been hospitalised with a bullet injury

Gangster Kulveer Singh Naruana and his accomplice, Chamkaur Singh, were shot dead at Naruana village in Bathinda district on Wednesday morning.

Kulveer Singh Naruana, who was shot dead at his house in his native village of Naruana in Bathinda district on Wednesday. (HT file photo)

Police said the two were shot dead at Naruana’s house at his native village by another accomplice, Manpreet Singh Manna, who also sustained a bullet injury and was undergoing treatment at the Bathinda Civil Hospital.

The incident occurred at 7.30am. Both victims were rushed to the civil hospital, but were declared brought dead.

Police sources said Manna was a former gunman of Naruana. He was arrested and brought to the civil hospital under tight security as Naruana’s supporters gathered at the hospital.

Escaped bid on life in June

On June 22, Naruana escaped unhurt in an attack by four gunmen when he was going to his village in his bulletproof car near Ring Road, Bathinda.

Naruana had identified the accused and a case was registered.

Naruana was accused in half a dozen cases, including two of attempt to murder. He was behind the attack on police personnel in the civil hospital in which he threw chilli powder in their eyes before freeing convict Gurwinder Bindu.

In 2015, Naruana and his gang opened fire at a constable at the Bathinda cantonment police station.

Brush with politics

In 2014, Naruana joined the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) when former Talwandi Sabo MLA Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu switched to the SAD from the Congress. He was honoured with a siropa by then revenue minister Bikram Singh Majithia during a rally organised by Sidhu outside his house in Bathinda in March 2014.

Naruana’s former gunman and key suspect Manpreet Singh Manna being brought to the civil hospital in Bathinda after he suffered a bullet injury. (Sanjeev Kumar/HT)

In July 2014, Naruana and Manna were arrested with illegal weapons.

Naruana remained a controversial figure during his stay in the central jail as he along with his accomplices uploaded their photos on Facebook from behind bars. He was also engaged in a gang war with the rival group of Gurpreet Singh Sekhon inside the jail.

In April 2015, Naruana secured a country-made pistol inside the jail. Naruana fired two shots from the pistol at Gurdeep Singh Maana, a member of the rival gang led by Sekhon. The firing happened outside Gurdeep Singh Maana’s cell and he was seriously injured in the attack.