Slain gangster Teja Mehandpuria’s aide held in Zirakpur

Harinder was arrested from near his house in Lohgarh, Zirakpur, said police; a foreign-made pistol and six cartridges were recovered from him

Four days after the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) of Punjab Police killed two gangsters and their aide in an encounter at Bassi Pathana in Fatehgarh Sahib district on February 22, they arrested their associate from Zirakpur on Sunday.

Identified as Harinder Singh, alias Soni, the accused had provided a Mahindra Thar to the slain gangsters, Teja Mehandpuria and Manpreet Peeta, that they were riding when they were neutralised by police on February 22. (HT Photo)

Identified as Harinder Singh, alias Soni, the accused had provided a Mahindra Thar to the slain gangsters, Teja Mehandpuria and Manpreet Peeta, that they were riding when they were neutralised by police on February 22.

Harinder was arrested from near his house in Lohgarh, Zirakpur, said police. A foreign-made pistol and six cartridges were recovered from him.

“Harinder was absconding since the encounter. He had met Teja in jail in 2016 and is named in an Arms Act case,” shared a senior police official.

As per police, Teja was the leader of the gang that had killed Phagwara police constable Kuldeep Singh Bajwa on January 8. The constable was part of a police team that was chasing gangsters who had snatched a car at gunpoint in Phillaur late at night.

Police will take Harinder in remand to trace other members of the gang.