Chandigarh: Two shooters backed by foreign handlers were arrested in Lucknow on Tuesday, in a joint operation by Punjab Police’s anti-gangster task force and Uttar Pradesh Police. Both were wanted in two separate cases, involving four murders, in Punjab.
The arrested accused have been identified by police as Bikramjit alias Vicky and Punjab Singh from Sur Singh and Sandhra villages respectively — both in Tarn Taran district of Punjab. They were staying in the same rented accommodation in Lucknow provided by their foreign handlers, Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav Tuesday said.
The state police chief said Vicky was involved in the murder of Gopi Chohla, who was shot dead in Taran Tarn on March 1, while Punjab Singh is a key accused in the triple murder case of Dildeep Singh and two of his relatives in Ferozepur in Sept. Punjab Police had already arrested the six other accused in the triple murder case within a week of the incident. They were caught at Hruday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray Express Highway in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, while Punjab Singh was absconding, he added.
The ADGP of the anti-gangster task force, Promod Ban, said they were tipped off about the possible hideouts and vehicle details of the two shooters in Lucknow, following which the AGTF team under AIG Sandeep Goel’s supervision shared the intel with UP police. After this, a joint team of AGTF led by DSP Bikramjit Brar and inspector Pushwinder Singh, along with Lucknow police, arrested the two at Indira Nagar in Lucknow.
DGP Yadav said both have criminal antecedents. Vicky is wanted in 12 criminal cases of murder, robbery and NDPS Act offences. Punjab Singh has four criminal cases of murder, NDPS Act, Arms Act offences and rape registered against him. A white Hyundai Alcazar (PB 60 D 0036), in which they were travelling, has been seized from his possession. The weapons used in both the crimes is expected to be recovered in the coming days, the state police chief said.