Alert Nagpur cops avert gang war with 4 arrests and arms seizure

Nagpur: Prompt action of Wathoda police squads prevented an imminent shootout between contract killers in Nagpur on Monday, an action that gains importance mainly after gangsters murdered former NCP MLA Baba Siddique in Mumbai recently.
The Wathoda police arrested four armed goons from an undisclosed location in Hingna, recovering three firearms, two magazines, live cartridges, and two knives from their possession.The goons, who were part of the same gang, fell apart over sharing ‘supari' money received for eliminating popular businessman Rishi Khosla in 2019.
Sources said the gang members, Arif Inayat Khan and friend-turned-foe Kunal Hemne, had stepped out of jail around a week back after being acquitted in the Khosla murder case. Notably, Khosla was eliminated over an illicit relationship. The gang members had 26 offences registered against them and were slapped with the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).
Police said Hemne wanted Rs 10,000 from Arif Khan as his share after killing Khosla. It's learnt lakhs of rupees were handed over to the gang as 'supari' to eliminate Khosla, who was a popular businessman. As Khan showed reluctance in parting with the money, Hemne, along with Vishal Gupta, Sujit Gharde, Kuldeepsingh Bawari, Afsar Anda, and his friend, barged into Arif Khan's house at Alishan Nagar near Jijamata Nagar to demand his share. Police said they held Khan hostage at knifepoint and also targeted his wife and father. Hemne and his associates left, threatening Khan and his family with dire consequences.
Wathoda Police senior inspector Harishkumar Borade formed different teams to search for the gang after learning the goons were gathering weapons for a clash, assuming a counterattack by Khan. DCP Rashmitha Rao too was camping at the police station until the gang was intercepted travelling in a car.
Police commissioner Ravinder Singal said the gang was pursued throughout the day using technical surveillance and manual intelligence until they were netted by the Wathoda team. "We are going to initiate stringent drives against goons and gangs in the coming days, including kickstarting measures to recover arms and weapons," said Singal.
Senior Inspector Borade said Afsar Anda, who is also known as a narcotic kingpin, will be caught soon. "We are now investigating the details of the dealer who supplied the firearms to the goons," said Borade, adding the arms dealer would soon be in the police net. Police have registered an offence of armed dacoity and are investigating further.