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Two members of Bhupi Rana gang shot dead in Ambala city
Attack suspected to be fallout of a 2019 turf war at Ambala jail between members of the Bhupi Rana and Lawrence Bishnoi gangs
Two men from Chandigarh’s Mauli Jagran, said to be affiliated with the Bhupi Rana gang, were shot dead in a gang war at Ambala City’s Kalka Chowk in broad daylight on Thursday.
Two others also suffered bullet injuries, of which the condition of one is critical, police said.
The dead have been identified as Pradeep, alias Panja, and Rahul, while the injured are Ashwani and Gaurav, all in their early 30s.
DSP (Headquarters) Sultan Singh said the deceased men were from the Bhupi Rana Gang. “The shooting is suspected to be a gang war between the Bhupi Rana and Lawrence Bishnoi gangs. We are looking into the weapons used in the attack,” the officer said.
Investigators said the four men had visited Ambala for a court hearing in connection with a 2019 gang war with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang members at the Ambala jail, and were headed back to Chandigarh in the afternoon in their Hyundai Verna.
On reaching the Ambala-Hisar highway, they had just halted at the Kalka Chowk to cross towards Baldev Nagar, when three men in a Maruti Suzuki Swift opened fire at them.
Over 15 rounds were fired, killing Pradeep and Rahul, who were in the rear seat, and Ashwani and Gaurav, who was driving the sedan.
Before onlookers could react, the assailants fled towards Patiala.
All four were taken to the Civil Hospital in Ambala City, where doctors declared Pradeep and Rahul dead, while Gaurav, who received three bullet injuries and Ashwani, who got shot in the left shoulder, were referred to Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, Chandigarh. Gaurav, who is critical, was operated upon later in the day.
The autopsy of the deceased will be conducted by a board of doctors at the Ambala hospital on Friday.
“Ashwani is a resident of Manimajra, while the other three are from Mauli Jagran. Gaurav was their driver,” said inspector Ram Kumar, SHO, Ambala City.
SSP Hamid Akhtar said four crime investigation teams were on the assailants’ trail. A case under Sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 341 (wrongful restraint) of the Indian Penal Code and the Arms Act has been registered.
Clashed with Bishnoi gang in jail in 2019
SSP Akhtar said the deceased were booked in 2019 for a violent spat between both the gangs inside the Ambala Central Jail.
As per the FIR lodged on July 12, 2019, as many as 84 inmates were booked after around 45 inmates belonging to the Bishnoi gang pushed their way into Ambala jail’s central area by pushing the warders and climbing the walls to attack the inmates belonging to the Rana gang with bricks, stones and sticks.
In retaliation, the Rana gang members had also attacked the rival gang members after climbing the walls.
The brawl had also left many jail warders, police officials and senior officials injured. Later in July, Bhupi was shifted to Jhajjar jail.
On Thursday, when the deceased reached Ambala for hearing in this case at the court of judicial magistrate first class Neelam Kumari, it was cancelled as some court staffers had recently tested positive for Covid-19.
Deceased were facing assault cases
Both Pradeep and Rahul were facing two cases of Arms Act and assault registered at the Mauli Jagran police station in 2015 and 2018, respectively. They were also caught a number of times for gambling at Panchkula’s Rajiv Colony.
Complainant also booked in drug case
Police said Ashwani, the complainant in the case, was also booked for assault and sexual harassment at the Manimajra police station in 2014. But, was acquitted later. However, he is facing another trial in a drugs case registered by the Panchkula police.
