2 wanted Bishnoi gang members killed in shootout

Two alleged members of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, wanted for the June 10 murder of a gym owner in Haryana’s Hansi, were killed in an encounter during a joint operation by the Delhi Police Special Cell and the Haryana Police Special Task Force (STF) in Bahadurgarh, Jhajjar, early on Sunday, officials said

Two alleged members of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, wanted for the June 10 murder of a gym owner in Haryana’s Hansi, were killed in an encounter during a joint operation by the Delhi Police Special Cell and the Haryana Police Special Task Force (STF) in Bahadurgarh, Jhajjar, early on Sunday, officials said.

Investigators said the duo were allegedly on their way to kill a real estate developer in Bahadurgarh on the instructions of a close associate of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. (Representational image)

Police identified the two men as Parvesh, 25, and Himanshu, 20, both residents of Hisar and carrying rewards of ₹1 lakh each. Investigators said the duo were allegedly on their way to kill a real estate developer in Bahadurgarh on the instructions of a close associate of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi.

The two were wanted for the murder of 25-year-old gym owner Kapil Redhu in Hansi on June 10. Redhu was shot dead at close range by motorcycle-borne assailants. Investigators, who asked not to be identified, said the killing stemmed from gang rivalry, alleging that Redhu had “supported” Bishnoi’s rival gang and had allowed its members to hold meetings at his gym. Within hours of the murder, fugitive gangster Harry Boxer had claimed responsibility in a social media post, police said.

Acting on specific intelligence that the suspects were waiting near Balaur on the Rohtak-Delhi Bypass Road to receive a vehicle, teams from the two police forces launched a joint operation.

Haryana STF superintendent of police Vikrant Bhushan said the suspects were asked to surrender after being surrounded but instead opened fire on the police. “The police team retaliated in self-defence. Both suspects sustained bullet injuries and were taken to a civil hospital, where they were declared dead,” Bhushan said.

Bhushan said the exchange of fire lasted about five minutes – from 12.01am to 12.06am. Police fired at least nine rounds and recovered two loaded pistols, 19 empty cartridge cases and other incriminating material from the spot.

During the encounter, Delhi Police constable Ankit sustained a bullet injury to his right leg. Haryana STF inspector Rakesh Singh, sub-inspector Deepak Kumar, head constable Jitender and Delhi Police sub-inspector Amit also came under fire but escaped unhurt as they were wearing bulletproof jackets, officials said.

Additional commissioner of police (Special Cell) Pramod Singh Kushwah said the two men were directly working under fugitive gangsters Harry Boxer and Anil Pandit. Boxer, a key operative of the Bishnoi gang, is believed to have been hiding in the United States since 2024.

Police said Boxer has figured in several recent high-profile cases. He allegedly made extortion calls to Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh and filmmaker Rohit Shetty earlier this year, while shooters linked to him allegedly opened fire outside Shetty’s Mumbai residence. In May, gunmen allegedly working under Boxer and Pandit also fired outside the Karnal residence of Punjabi singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh’s manager.

According to Haryana STF officials, Sunday’s intended target – a businessman and real estate developer in Bahadurgarh – had allegedly received an extortion demand of ₹5 crore last October.

The two men were also wanted in an attempt-to-murder case in Delhi, while one of them faced two Arms Act cases for allegedly supplying illegal firearms.

Police said the operation was developed from the interrogation of two other alleged gang members who were arrested by the Delhi Police Special Cell after an exchange of fire on June 25 in connection with the firing outside singer Guru Randhawa’s gym in Paschim Vihar.

Kushwah said the two disclosed details of the gang’s role in Redhu’s murder during interrogation, leading investigators to Parvesh and Himanshu.