Punjab Police Sunday said it has arrested two gangsters with guns on them out to kill an Uttarakhand businessman on a contract.
The gangsters were found to be associated with alleged terrorist Arsh Dalla and Sukha Duneke, they said.
Dalla was in January this year designated a ‘terrorist’ by the Union Home Ministry.
The two gangsters have been identified as Shimla Singh of village Granghana in Mansa, Punjab and Harjeet Singh alias Gora of village Bhadoliyanwali in Fatehabad, Haryana.
Police have recovered from them three pistols – a .32 bore, a .315 bore (country-made), and one 12 bore (country-made) - with live cartridges and magazines.
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Police also found Rs 1.90 lakh in cash on them which they got as part of their contract, Director General of Punjab police Gaurav Yadav said in an official statement.
Bathinda Counter Intelligence and Bathinda Police arrested Shimla Singh in Jassi Pau Wali village, stopping him at a check post barrier they had erected following a tip-off.
Shimla Singh was on his way to meet a friend when he was held, Yadav said.
According to Additional IGP Simratpal Singh, Shimla Singh during questioning revealed that Arsh Dalla had hired him to kill a Kashipur-based businessman and asked him to meet his associate Sadhu Singh, who is currently lodged in Haldwani Jail, for logistical support.
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The Additional IGP said that Dalla had sent Rs 7 lakh to Shimla Singh in two instalments — Rs 4 lakh and Rs 3 lakh — to carry out the killing.
Shimla Singh gave Rs 4 lakh to an unknown person, and Rs 3 lakh to Harjeet Singh to arrange for six weapons for the task, said the senior officer.
At his instance, Punjab Police with the help of Haryana Police also arrested Harjeet Singh from his village in Haryana, he said.
Further investigations are on and more recoveries are expected, he added.
The two men have been booked under several sections of IPC and the Arms Act at Police Station Sadar, Bathinda, police said.
-With PTI Input
