Amreli SP was on hit list of dreaded Dangar hitman

Rajkot: Amreli superintendent of police (SP) Nirlipt Rai had been on the hit list of sharp-shooter and notorious criminal Ashok Boricha for the past eight months.
Boricha, a member of the once-dreaded gangster Sonu Dangar gang, was arrested on Wednesday. He had been evading arrest for more than two years and was wanted in 32 serious offences like murders including that of his own sister and uncle.
According to sources, Boricha had done Facebook live twice eight months ago, in which he threatened to target Rai.
In 2019, Dangar herself had circulated a video using abusive language about Rai and a woman police sub-inspector and also issued threats. Following this, Rai’s security had been beefed up. It is learnt that Boricha and his men had also conducted a recce of the IPS officer’s movements.
On the day of arrest, Boricha also fired two rounds at the police party in an attempt to escape. Large quantity of arms and ammunition including a pistol loaded with magazine and 50 live cartridges
When contacted, Rai told TOI: “We got certain such leads during his interrogation and we are are working on them.” Rai refused to elaborate further.
“Boricha was aware that he would never come out of the jail once arrested as he committed serious offences and GujCTOC invoked against him. He had developed a do-or-die mindset and wasn’t scared of attacking cops,” sources in Amreli police told TOI.
According to sources, Boricha was Dangar’s hitman, but the gang leader herself was afraid of his fierce temper.
“Dangar had told us that we should keep a close watch on Boricha as he was capable of striking any time anywhere. She herself was scared of being targeted by him,” said a police official who was part of the team that had arrested her from Udaipur in December 2019.
Dangar’s gang, which has some 12 criminals, was allegedly involved in serious organized crimes including murder, robbery, extortion and possessing and selling illegal arms and explosives.
Nearly 20 offences are registered against Dangar in various police stations for murder, attempt to murder, threatening, kidnapping, extortion and hurting religious feelings in various districts like Rajkot, Gir Somnath, Junagadh, Ahmedabad and Amreli.
All have been booked under the stringent Gujarat Control of Terrorism and Organized Crime (GujCTOC).