Gangster Rana Kandowalia murder: 1 suspect hurt in retaliatory fire during assault

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, August 5

One of the gangsters, who was running away after firing at rival gangster Ranbir Singh, alias Rana Kandowalia, in a private hospital on Tuesday, was also injured in retaliatory firing by a supporter of Kandowalia.

He was reportedly identified as Mani Rayya and the police were on his trail. Police teams have been conducting massive raids at the suspected hideouts following the incident.

The police have been searching for him and an alert has been sounded and hospitals in the Majha region were asked to inform the police as he would try to take treatment for his gunshot injury.

DCP (Investigation) Mukhwinder Singh Bhullar confirmed by saying that Tejbir, a Kandowalia’s friend, told the police about a gangster injured in the retaliatory firing. “We have been on the trail of perpetrators who were on the run since the incident,” he said.

The CCTVs outside the hospital where incident took place revealed Tejbir Singh, a supporter of Kandowalia, retaliating and firing at the two gangsters while escaping after firing at him (Kandowalia). Tejbir also sustained bullet injuries and a security guard, identified as Arun Kumar, who tried to bolt the gate of the hospital also suffered a bullet injury.

Meanwhile, the police on Thursday procured production warrant of gangster Jagdeep Singh, alias Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, who was currently in Tihar jail in Delhi and another criminal Deep Dhillon. Bhagwanpuria had shared a post on a social media claiming the responsibility for the murder. In the post, he claimed that Kandowalia was killed by Mandeep Toofan of Batala. He said he was killed in revenge for kidnapping of Lamma Patti who, along with Gurlal Brar, was gunned down in a gang war. Kandowalia was supporting other gangsters Vickey Gounder and Davinder Bambiha who had rivalry with Bhagwanpuria. The police had booked Jaggu, Jagroshan and Mani Rayya, besides two unidentified accomplices in the case.

The police were still investigating the veracity of the claims. He said Jagroshan and Mani Rayya were recently threatened by Kandowalia and his accomplices, therefore they had the motive behind the murder. But, the involvement of Mandeep Toofan of Batala was being ascertained. The police suspect Mandeep had formed another gang and therefore Jaggu wanted to implicate him in the case to teach him a lesson.

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