One arrested in notorious gangster Rana Kandowalia's murder case

PK Jaiswar
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, August 8

Days after the sensational killing of notorious gangster Ranbir Singh, also known as Rana Kandowalia, at private hospital premises, the city police on Sunday made their first arrest.

Nanit Sharma, also known as Saurav—a resident of Shakarpura village located on Dera Baba Nanak Road in Batala—was arrested for allegedly sheltering the perpetrators, and making arrangements for the treatment of an injured accused Sharma.

With his arrest, the police had identified all the suspects, barring a Haryanavi speaking youth.

His interrogation revealed, that besides Haryanvi-speaking youth, Jagroshan Hundal of Tarn Taran and Mani Rayya, Mandeep Singh also known as Toofan of Batala and Happy Shah, also known as Sharma, had allegedly committed the murder of Rana Kandowalia.

The police have also nominated six persons for sheltering and harbouring them.

Besides Nanit, others were Laddi Dairy wala, Sukhraj Malli, Jagtar Singh, Prabhjot Chatha and Lalli Dairy wala, all residents of Batala.

“They were booked under section 212, 216 and 120-B of Indian Penal Code,” said Mukhwinder Singh Bhullar, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Investigations.

Nanit was being produced in the court and the police have sought his police remand for further interrogation.

His preliminary interrogation revealed that he and Sukhraj Malli were old friends of Mandeep Toofan who worked for notorious gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria.

He said, though he was on the run for the past four years, they were in contact with him. He said Mandeep his accomplice Jagroshan Hundal and Mani Rayya used to meet at his fruit shop.

He said on Tuesday evening he got a call from Toofan that they had killed Rana Kandowalia, but one of his accomplices Happy Shah was also injured in the retaliatory fire. He asked him and Sukhraj to make arrangements for his treatment.

He said Malli called Laddi Dairywala, Prabhjot Chatha and Jagtar Singh who were known to of Mandeep Toofan for this.

He said they later met them at Batala bypass. Happy Shah and Jagroshan Hundal sat with Prabhjot while Mandeep sat in the car with Nanit and Sukhraj Malli.

The Haryanvi boy and Laddi Dairywala and Jagtar Singh took their Creta car to some undisclosed place. He said they took injured Happy Shah to a private hospital for treatment. Later, they helped him safely going out of the city.

Bhullar said they were also contemplating action against the hospital authorities, which failed to inform the police before treating the injured gangster.

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.