New Delhi, Dec 14 (IANS) One more sharpshooter of Lawrence Bishnoi-Goldy Brar gang, wanted in connection with the firing incident at former Shiromani Akali Dal MLA's house for extortion in Delhi’s Punjabi Bagh area, has been arrested by the Delhi Police's Crime Branch after a brief exchange of fire, an official said on Thursday.
The accused was identified as Sombir a.k.a Totala, 23, a resident of Haryana's Sonipat.
Last week, two sharpshooters of the gang were arrested for firing seven to eight rounds in front of the residence of the ex-MLA.
According to a Crime Branch officer, the sharpshooters were identified as Aakash a.k.a Kassa (23) and Nitesh alias Sinti (19), both residents of Haryana.
Earlier, members of the Bishnoi-Brar gang had also burnt two shops of the MLA from Punjab, who has a liquor business in that state and two separate cases were registered in Punjab in this regard.
On December 3, the Station House Officer of Punjabi Bagh police station received information regarding the firing in front of the residence of Deep Malhotra. Four empty cartridges were found near the main gate of the house.
Special Commissioner of Police, Crime, Ravindra Singh Yadav said that inputs were received that another sharpshooter named Sombir, involved in a sensational firing incident case, would come in the area of Peeragarhi to meet his associates. Accordingly, a trap was laid and Sombir was identified.
"The team showed their identity and ordered to surrender, but he tried to flee from the spot by firing one round at the police team. The police team retaliated in self-defence and also fired two rounds in the air and the accused was immediately overpowered by the raiding team," he said.
On interrogation, he confessed his involvement in the firing incident.
It was also found that the gangsters are taking utmost precautions to thwart police in nabbing them. “They act behind layers and layers of conduits while arranging logistics. Even these sharpshooters were unknown to each other one week prior to the incident," said Yadav.
Sombir also told police that he is a close associate of another accused, Aakash.
"Aakash was lodged in jail in an attempt to murder case of Mohana, Haryana and they became good friends. During the jail period, they met the members of Goldy Brar-Lawrence Bishnoi gang and joined the gang,” said the Special CP.
Recently, Sombir got instructions from Brar through Signal app to meet other members of the gang to execute their plan.
"Ex-MLA (Faridkot, Punjab) was running a liquor business in Punjab and was not paying the extortion money as demanded by them. In order to spread terror in the business community, Goldy Brar arranged these sharpshooters for the above task. To execute the task assigned by Goldy Brar, the accused persons were visiting the nearby areas and doing recce of the house of ex-MLA.
"After a long watch and to execute their plan, on December 3, they fired on the main gate of the house of EX-MLA of Punjab," the Special CP added.
