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Punjab Police arrest gangster Ankit Rana in Mohali
Ankit, a cousin of gangster Bhupi Rana who is lodged in Patiala jail, was the kingpin of extortion rackets in Punjab and Haryana
In a major breakthrough, Punjab Police’s Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) in coordination with the Mohali police personnel arrested Ankit Rana, a sharp shooter of the Bhupi Rana gang, on Saturday afternoon.
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“Ankit Rana is one of the main kingpins of extortion rackets in Punjab and Haryana. He was wanted in several criminal cases, including the Baltana encounter,” Punjab director general of police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav tweeted.
Police also recovered one .32-bore pistol, along with five live cartridges from him.
Ankit is a cousin of gangster Bhupi Rana, who is lodged in Patiala jail and was the main conspirator in the August 2021 murder of Youth Akali Dal leader Vikramjit Singh Middukhera in Mohali.
Three accomplices of Bhupi were arrested in Zirakpur’s Baltana area in July for extorting up to ₹50,000 every month from local hoteliers following a late-night encounter, police said, adding they were working at the behest of Ankit. In the shootout, one of the three gangsters had suffered a gunshot wound on the leg and two Punjab Police officials had also sustained injuries.
DGP Yadav said the AGTF in a joint operation with a team of Mohali police, led by DSP Bikramjeet Singh Brar, succeeded in arresting gangster Ankit with a .32-bore pistol and five cartridges.
The DGP said Ankit was also wanted in several attempt to murder and Arms Act cases registered in Haryana and Punjab. “He was involved in extorting money from 15 hotels in Zirakpur and 10 hotels in Panchkula, besides other renowned businessmen,” he added.
