Surat: 2 held for murder of criminal in Kota

A joint operation by Navsari and Surat police was launched after the former got information about the two alleged accused hiding in Surat. The two who were arrested on Friday are Mohammed Mansur Pathan and Mohammed Anis Pathan, both residents of Kota district.

Giving details about the operation, Navsari sub-inspector K H Puwar said, “The accused were sharp shooters so we feared there could be cross firing. So, we took all the flat members of the apartment where they were hiding into confidence. We had also cordoned off the entire area. Surat city crime branch police inspector K A Gadhvi led the operation. We have taken the accused into our custody and shared the information with Rajasthan police.”

Gadhvi said, “There was inter-gang rivalry between the two gangs – one led by Shivraj Hada and the other by Bhanupratap Singh – in Kota. They were extorting money from businessmen and were fighting for their supremacy in the area. In 2011, Bhanupratap killed Hada’s brother. Hada and his gang members then attacked Bhanupratap when he was being taken to court for hearing by Kota police in 2011.”

“After Bhanupratap’s death, his close aide and sharp shooter Ranjeet Chaudhary carried out extortion activities. Hada and others were arrested by Kota police and are presently in judicial custody. Acting on Hada’s direction, his gang members hatched a plan and shot dead Ranjeet near Shreenathpuram stadium road in Kota in December 2019. After the murder, these two accused sharp shooters who were arrested today hid here in Surat. We are trying to find out who had given them shelter and who owns the flat.”