PIONEER NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
Two members of the Chinu Pandit gang were arrested late on Tuesday from the Premnagar area in Dehradun with illegal weapons, while allegedly preparing to carry out a major criminal act in Haridwar.
The Special Task Force (STF) recovered three pistols with eight live cartridges, one country-made firearm with four cartridges, a Thar vehicle and a motorcycle during the operation, the senior superintendent of police of STF Navneet Singh Bhullar said.
He informed that the STF has been closely monitoring individuals linked to organised and violent crimes, including those operating networks from inside prison. Among them is Vinay Sharma alias Chinu Pandit, currently lodged in Roorkee Sub-Jail, who has over 30 cases of murder, attempted murder and abduction registered against him.
Despite being in jail for several years, he is believed to be managing his gang’s activities. The SSP said, “In 2014, three of Pandit’s associates were killed in a gang war outside Roorkee jail. Intelligence inputs recently indicated that Pandit, expected to be released on parole, was planning to retaliate through his gang. STF sources received information about an attempt to arrange weapons and shooters for a potential attack in Haridwar.
Acting on these inputs, the STF arrested two individuals suspected to be part of the plot.” The accused have been identified as Samarth Panwar alias Sagar, originally from Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh and Sanjay Negi, a resident of Tehri district. Both were taken into custody along with the recovered arms and vehicles.
Bhullar stated that based on the initial interrogation, STF has obtained leads on other associates of the gang. Further action is being taken as per standard procedure, he added.
