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This is an archive article published on December 25, 2024
Three killed after birthday party in Panchkula hotel: Gangster Kapil Sangwan behind crime, say police
Sangwan as per police was allegedly "avenging the death of his brother-in-law, who was killed around nine years ago by Vineet's elder brother".
(Left) Police probe the shooting at a restaurant parking area in Panchkula; (Right) gangster Kapil Sangwan. (PTI)
Police Tuesday said that UK-based gangster Kapil Sangwan alias Nandu was the alleged mastermind behind the shooting that took place in the parking lot of The Sultanat hotel at Pinjore in Panchkula early Monday, leading to the death of a man and his minor nephew from Delhi as well as a woman from Haryana.
According to the police, while the two residents of Mitraon in Delhi’s Najafgarh — Vineet alias Vicky (30), and his nephew Tirth (17) — were the real targets, the woman, Vandana (22) from Uchana Kalan town in Jind, was caught in the line of fire.
Nandu was allegedly avenging the death of his brother-in-law, who was killed around nine years ago by Vineet’s elder brother, a police officer said.
The officer added that Sangwan has this year executed seven murders from abroad.
“Besides Vineet, Tirth and Vandana, he is responsible for the deaths Surender Kumar Solanki alias Surender Matiala, BJP Kisan Morcha president of Najafgarh; gangster Surajbhan alias Ballu Pehalwan, who was shot dead outside a gym in Faridabad, as well as INLD Haryana unit president Nafe Singh Rathee and a member of his security team, who were killed at Bahadurgarh in Jhajjar,” police said.
“Sangwan’s brother-in-law was murdered in December 2015 by members of the Ashok Pradhan gang. One of the persons involved in the murder was the victim’s brother. Ashok Pradhan is also the uncle of one of the deceased in the Panchkula murders,” the officer said.
Pradhan is currently lodged in Tihar Jail with his associate, gangster Manjeet Mahal.
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According to police, Vineet and Tirth operated a gambling racket in Haryana. Their bodies reached Najafgarh on Tuesday afternoon, following which the final rites were carried out.
On Monday, the police had said in a statement that according to a preliminary probe, Vineet was facing five criminal cases, including that of murder and dacoity. One of the cases was registered at Panchkula’s Sector 20 police station in 2019.
The shooting had taken place when the victims were leaving after attending the birthday celebrations of Zirakpur resident Rohit Bhardwaj. An FIR was lodged at Pinjore police station based on a complaint filed by Zirakpur resident Aashish, who also attended the party.
Aashish had said that the party began at 10.30 pm and continued till 2.30 am. “At 2.40 am, Vineet, Tirth and Vandana moved towards their Scorpio car. As soon as Tirth sat in the passenger seat, two to three youngsters started firing indiscriminately. All three suffered bullet injuries. The assailants ran away after firing in the air,” he had told the police.
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