4 from MP’s ‘Ravan Gang’ held after Gujarat shootout, police say gang was ‘plotting crimes in MP’

The SMC recovered three pistols and 25 cartridges in total from the accused, who were booked under the Arms Act and for attempt to murder, after an FIR was filed with the SMC police station in Gandhinagar. Officials said the accused will be produced before the Gandevi court in Navsari district for police remand on Wednesday evening.

Police sources said the team first detained Manish and Madan from a private hotel near Bilimora railway station based on a tip-off. They were later taken to the temple parking lot, where the two other accused were present. When police warned the men to surrender, Yashsingh allegedly fired two rounds at them, prompting Police Inspector C H Panara to return fire.

State Monitoring Cell DIG Nirlipt Rai told The Indian Express, “The main accused, Rishabh Sharma alias Ravan, is a gang leader involved in several crimes including murder, narcotics, extortion, and illegal arms trade in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. Manish, who has been living in Bilimora for the past four years, had asked Rishabh to bring weapons for a planned crime in Mumbai. They had also planned to rob a jewellery firm in Madhya Pradesh. Before they could act, the SMC team intercepted and detained them.”

He added that Madan had allegedly been in touch with a gangster in Mumbai and that the group had arrived in Bilimora by train with the weapons. “All four are noted criminals with multiple cases in different states. Yash is a sharpshooter. More details will emerge once they are interrogated,” Rai said.

Police said that Manish had been running a small grocery shop in Bilimora while residing in the same premises with his wife and 12-year-old son.

The SMC said they are still investigating the alleged extent of the gang’s network in Gujarat and whether the accused had planned any operations in the state.