Police identify eight shooters linked to Moosewala murder

Each of the eight shooters, who belong to Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra and Rajasthan, is associated with gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, who is the main suspect in the case.

A special investigation team (SIT) of Mansa police has identified eight sharpshooters who may possibly be linked with the murder of Punjabi singer and Congress leader Sidhu Moosewala, police said on Monday.

Sidhu Moosewala was shot dead at Jawaharke village in Mansa district of Punjab on May 29, a day after the state government pruned his security cover.

All the eight shooters, who belong to Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra and Rajasthan, are associated with gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, who is the main suspect in the case, a senior police officer said on condition of anonymity.

Several police teams have been formed to conduct raids in Haryana, Rajasthan and Maharashtra and efforts are on to trace the shooters, the officer cited above added.

The shooters were identified as Manpreet Singh Mannu of Khussa village in Moga, Jagroop Singh alias Roopa of Jaura village in Tarn Taran and Harkamal Singh alias Ranu of Bathinda in Punjab, Manjeet alias Bholu and Priyavart alias Fauji of Sisana village in Haryana’s Sonipat, Santosh Yadav and Saurav Mahakal of Pune in Maharashtra and Subhash Banuda of Sikar in Rajasthan.

Moosewala was shot dead at Jawaharke village in Mansa district of Punjab on May 29, a day after the state government pruned his security cover. An autopsy report later said that the singer bore 19 bullet injury marks and most likely died within 15 minutes.

Hours after the incident on May 29, Punjab director general of police (DGP) VK Bhawra said the killing was a result of gang rivalry and that Lawrence Bishnoi’s gang and Canada-based gangster Goldy Brar appeared to be involved in the crime.

On May 31, Bishnoi was arrested by Delhi Police in connection with a case of arms act registered against him and his accomplices in the capital last year. The special cell of Delhi Police had obtained five-day custody of the gangster from a Delhi court on the same day, which was extended by another five days on Saturday. Delhi Police said Bishnoi’s role in the murder of Moosewala will also be probed.

Meanwhile, the SIT has arrested one more person, taking the total arrests in the case to four.

Sandeep Kumar alias Kekra, a resident of Kalianwali village in Haryana, was detained in his village on Saturday after CCTV footage showed him taking selfies with the singer along with other local residents outside Moosewala’s house on May 29, officials familiar with the matter said.

Police suspect Kekra, who was arrested on Monday, had passed information about Moosewala’s movement to the shooters, the officials added.

Police also suspect that Kekra was acting on instructions of one Sachin Thapan Bishnoi, who recently claimed to be Lawrence Bishnoi’s nephew and among the shooters who killed Moosewala. Kekra is not an active gangster but a long time friend of Sachin, the officials said.

Moga police on Sunday night arrested one person from Haryana’s Fatehabad in connection with the murder of Moga gangster Harjit Singh Penta in April. Police suspect Devinder Singh may have also played a role in Moosewala’s murder.