2 Haryana-based operatives of Kaushal gang held in Kapurthala

Two members of the Kaushal Chaudhary gang, both Haryana natives, have been arrested by the Kapurthala police for a firing incident at a mobile phone store in Kapurthala on October 7.

The duo has been identified as Munish, alias Mani (23), and Lalit Kumar (19), both residents of Palwal. This is the fourth case of firing or extortion by the gang in the state, denoting its increasing imprint in the region. The store was fired upon indiscrminately by two masked men on October 7. The accused left a note from gangster Kaushal Chaudhary and his brother-in-law Saurav Gandoli demanding an amount of Rs 5 crore from the store owner. Extortion calls were also made to the store owner. A case was registered under Sections 109, 308 (5), 324 (4), 61 (2) and 111 of the BNS and Section 25 of the Arms Act by the Kapurthala police in the firing case.

The extortion caller was identified as Pawan Kumar, a resident of Delhi and member of Kaushal Chaudhary gang. The investigation in Delhi found various murder and extortion cases registered against Pawan in various states. Pawan is currently absconding.

So far, nine persons have been nominated in the case — arrested accused Munish and Lalit, Pawan Kumar, Rahul who provided the gang weapons, gangster Kaushal Chaudhary himself and four others — all of whom are from Haryana and Delhi. Kaushal Chaudhary, who is an arch rival of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, is currently lodged in the Gurugram jail.

Kapurthala SSP Vatsala Gupta said: “The special investigation team has been brought in for questioning members of the gang lodged in various jails of Punjab. Members of Kaushal Chaudhary gang are carrying out crimes in Western UP, Gurugram and Punjab and have operatives in these states.

The gang is based in Haryana and Delhi, with its members abroad who call shots from there. Shooters are brought into Punjab towns from outside. They also carried out firings at Hoshiarpur and Jalandhar earlier. It’s difficult to trace them as there’s no local history. Based on revelations by Munish and Lalit, the police also recovered two countrymade pistols and seven live rounds.