Supremacy battle behind the killing

Rajinder Nagarkoti

Tribune News Service

Panchkula, April 16

Bhupesh Rana (27) was murdered because of a gang war in this region between the Bhupi Rana gang and the Monu Rana gang.

The Bhupi Rana gang is headed by Bhupinder Singh, alias Bhupi Rana, of Mohali, whereas the Monu Rana gang is headed by Shamsher Singh, alias Monu Rana, of Ambala. A number of clashes have been reported between both gangs in their battle for supremacy to show their control in Ambala, Panchkula, Yamunanagar, Karnal and Kurukshetra districts.

According to the police, Bhupesh Rana, who was a member of the Monu Rana gang, was murdered by the Bhupi Rana gang probably to take revenge of Mustak’s murder. Bhupi Rana gang’s key member Mustak, a resident of Zirakpur, was allegedly murdered by Bhupesh Rana and other members of the Monu Rana gang on August 7, 2014, the police said.

A senior official of the Panchkula police said in 2014, both gangs had reached a compromise. However, later when the Monu Rana gang headed towards Ambala, members of the Bhupi Rana gang had chased them. Members of both gangs again had an encounter at Barara village. Members of the Monu Rana gang had opened fire at the Bhupi Rana gang in which Mustak, Mohit and Ashok were injured. Mustak, who was critically injured, was admitted to the PGI, and later succumbed to the bullet injuries. In the Mustak murder case, the Panchkula police had arrested Bhupesh Rana, who was languishing in an Ambala jail. Last year, he had come out on bail, the official said. 

In January last year, Monu Rana was attacked on the premises of the Yamunanagar court when he was produced by the police in a murder case there. In that attack, Bhupi Rana gang members Sahil and Gaurav were involved. Both Sahil and Gaurav have also been named as the accused in the murder of Bhupesh Rana that took place on Monday. 

Panchkula Police Commissioner AS Chawla said they had arrested a number of accused, who were part of these two gangs, in different cases. 

Bhupi Rana close to SAD leaders

Bhupi Rana, who is absconding, is one of the “dreaded gangsters” whose posters the Punjab Police have put up at various places in Punjab. Bhupi Rana is close to leaders of the Shiromani Akali Dal. In his recent interview, he had stated that he was willing to surrender, but an honest officer should probe his case. He feared that his rivals might try to eliminate him during the court proceedings.