Punjab: Fazilka police have arrested five members of a gang supplying arms and ammunition to members of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang in the border areas. During patrolling on October 15, police reportedly arrested Manpreet Singh and seized a .32 bore pistol and two magazines from his possession. Senior Superintendent of Police Varinder Singh Brar said Manpreet later confessed that he and other gang members, including Sandeep Singh of Tiwana Kalan village in Jalalabad subdivision, Avinash alias Gagan of Abohar subdivision, Akash of Radha Swami Colony in Fazilka, smuggled arms from Madhya Pradesh. Manpreet also confessed that he had sold two pistols to Jaspreet Singh of Bathinda for Rs 35,000 each.
On October 18, police arrested accused Sandeep Singh and seized a pistol and a magazine from him. Akash and Jaspreet were arrested on October 19 and a pistol and 10 cartridges were seized from them. Avinash alias Gagan was arrested on October 25. The SSP said that the police party led by SHO Manjit Singh and Sub Inspector Rajpal Singh of Khui Khera police station later found that the suspects were supplying arms to members of the Bishnoi gang. Akash told the police that he came in contact with Lawrence Bishnoi while he was lodged in Faridkot jail during 2011-12. After coming out of jail, Akash, Manpreet, Avinash and others joined hands and supplied arms to Kalu and Bhalu, who were allegedly associated with the Bishnoi gang. Efforts are on to arrest Kalu and Bhalu.
