Wrestler-turned-arms dealer held after 8 yrs on the run

A 32-year-old national-level wrestler-turned arms dealer, alleged to be involved in several serious crimes, was arrested by the Delhi Police from UP's Baghpat district, a senior officer said here on Saturday.

According to the officer, the accused, Sonu Langada, alias Pahalwan, turned to supplying illegal arms to criminals after a road accident led to the amputation of his leg.

Sharing details, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Apoorva Gupta said the accused had been on the run for nearly eight years.

“He has a long history of crimes with involvement in at least six serious cases, including murder, rape, kidnapping, dacoity, and under the SC/ST Act, Arms Act and excise violations across police stations in Uttar Pradesh,” the DCP said.

While he went on his crime spree, Sonu lived with his family in the village and did farming.

In 2016, Sonu was arrested in connection with the murder of a cable operator. Back then, the Crime Branch received inputs that two individuals – Rahul, alias Sunny, and Vikas, alias Vicky, — suspected of murdering the cable operator, were planning a retaliatory attack in Rohini.

Both suspects were arrested with a pistol, a country-made firearm and 10 bullets and gave up Sonu Langada as the supplier of the arms under grilling. Sonu managed to dodge the police despite several raids for eight years, till he was traced to his village recently.

During interrogation, he said he had been a promising national-level wrestler until his leg was amputated after a road accident in 2013. Struggling to make both ends meet, he took to crime to support his family, the officer said.

“He aligned with local gangs and became an active player in the illicit arms trade, also supplying liquor to various criminal networks,” she added.