Gangster Bhupi Rana, Gaurav and Kuldeep Chauhan after being arrested with country-made pistols by Panchkula police on Monday. (Express photo)
Three wanted criminals, Bhupinder Singh Rana, alias Bhupi, of Jodhpur village in Mohali, Gaurav, alias Roda of Barwala and Kuldeep Chauhan of Bada Gaon village near Naraingarh, were arrested on Sunday night. Police have recovered three country-made pistols, 47 live cartridges and a car from their possession. They were remanded in five days’ police custody on Monday.
The three were arrested by a joint team of Inspector Aman Kumar and Inspector Arvind Kumar of Panchkula police. Accused Rana was wanted in 25 cases of murder, attempt to murder, robbery, extortion, etc. Gaurav was involved in 12 cases of murder, attempt to murder and robbery. Police said Gaurav, along with six associates, had gunned down a man named Bhupesh Rana near Barwala due to an old rivalry on April 16 this year. The murder was carried out on the instructions of Rana, who formed his gang named Bhuppi Rana group. The victim Bhupesh Rana belonged to a group headed by Monu Rana of Sahahbad in Kurukshetra.
Panchkula DCP Rajender Kumar Meena said, “Accused Kuldeep Chauhan of Bada Gaon near Naraingarh was wanted in three cases of murder and attempt to murder. Recently, he, along with his two associates, shot dead a man named Session Judge of Bada Gaon village near Naraingarh due to an old enmity. Session Judge was the husband of Bada Gaon sarpanch. He was gunned down by Kuldeep Chauhan and his associates on July 13. The two accused were arrested by Naraingarh police in Ambala earlier.”
Police sources said during the Akali Dal regime in the state, Rana had developed close ties with a Derabassi politician, who used to provide him shelter. Later, when the regime changed, accused Bhupi shifted base from Mohali to Uttar Pradesh. Sources maintained that Rana, through his associates, was highly active in Ambala and Yamunanagar in Haryana and in some parts of UP. A crime branch officer said, “Bhupinder Singh Rana had challenged Sampat Nehra, another wanted criminal, who was arrested by Haryana Police on June 7, to an open gang war. Sampat Nehra had developed links with gangsters, including Dilpreet Singh. Dilpreet was also arrested by a joint team of Chandigarh and Punjab police on July 13.”