Sidhu Moosewala (File)Two residents of Pune district are among the eight suspects identified as shooters in the murder of singer Sidhu Moosewala in Punjab last week, said police officials on Monday.
One of them, Santosh Jadhav, is the prime wanted suspect in the broad daylight murder of a 24-year-old history-sheeter in Manchar taluka of Pune in August last year, according to Pune Rural Police.
Punjab Police sources confirmed that two of the eight suspects are from Maharashtra. Police have no information on the second suspect from Pune, identified as Saurav.
Congress leader and singer Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu alias Sidhu Moosewala was gunned down in broad daylight near Mansa, days after the Punjab government reduced his security cover, along with that of many others in the state.
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Multiple media reports suggest that Punjab Police has identified eight shooters allegedly linked to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and suspected to be involved in the killing of Moosewala. Among the eight alleged shooters, two — Santosh Jadhav and Saurav alias Mahakal — are said to be from Pune.
A senior official from Pune Rural Police said, “We have not received any communication from Punjab Police. But Santosh Jadhav, as identified in media reports, is a wanted prime suspect in the murder of Onkar Bankhele, who was shot dead in Eklahare area of Manchar taluka on the afternoon of August 1 last year. Primary probe suggests that Jadhav and Bankhele had past rivalry. Prior to the killing of Bankhele, both had issued death threats to each other through social media status messages. Seven arrests have been made in Bankhele’s murder and two others, including prime suspect Jadhav, are still wanted. According to the last information with us, Jadhav was hiding somewhere in Rajasthan. After seeing media reports on Monday, a communication has been sent to Punjab Police. Their reply is awaited.”
When asked about the other suspect named by Punjab Police, Saurav alias Mahakal, the officer said, “We do not have any information on him but we are in the process of gathering more information…”.
Moosewala, 28, was shot by multiple assailants while he was driving his SUV in the village Jawahar Ke in Mansa district, along with two others. He was rushed to the Mansa Civil Hospital, where he was declared dead.
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