Gangsters’ aide caught with firearm, cartridges

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, April 22

In a major breakthrough, the city police have arrested Gurjit Singh, an associate of notorious gangsters Harry Chatha and Gopi Ghanshampuria, on Sunday. An illegal weapon and two bullets were seized.

Gurjit Singh hailed from Sahensra village, falling under the Jhander police station in Tarn Taran. Vavinder Mahajan, in charge of the cyber crime and technical cell, said Gurjit was involved in the kidnapping of Dr Munish Kumar, who runs a private hospital in Ajnala and resides in posh Ranjit Avenue.

Gurjit along with Gopi Ghanshampuria and Harry Chatha had abducted the doctor in May last year when he was returning home. They had planned the entire kidnapping at the residence of Gurjit. The doctor was later released after the family paid them a ransom. After the incident, they hid themselves at his residence, said Mahajan.

Gurjit was nabbed near Amrit-Anand Park. A .315 bore country-made pistol and two live cartridges have been seized from his possession. A fresh case under the Arms Act has been registered against him.

Mahajan said Gurjit was a close associate of the gangsters who also used him for the release of Gopi Ghanshampuria from the clutches of the Uttar Pradesh police. Gurjit along with liquor contractor Randeep Singh Rimple arranged money and went to the UP for getting Ghanshampuria released.

The UP police had denied arresting and later releasing him. Nevertheless, a case in this regard was registered here.

He said Gurjit would be produced before the duty magistrate and brought on police remand to ascertain the whereabouts of Ghanshampuria and Harry Chatha.