Firing outside Salman Khan's home: Lawrence Bishnoi gang member held for funding shooters
Mumbai (PTI): The Mumbai crime branch has arrested a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang from Rajasthan for allegedly providing financial help to the shooters involved in firing outside Bollywood superstar Salman Khan's house, officials said on Tuesday.
The accused has been identified as Mohammed Rafique Chowdhary (37), an official said.
He is the fifth person to be arrested in the firing case.
Two motorcycle-borne persons opened fire outside Khan's residence at the Galaxy Apartment in Mumbai's Bandra area on April 14 and fled from the spot.
The official said Chowdhary's role had come to light during the interrogation of the persons arrested in the case.
He is a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, and was in direct contact with the alleged shooters - Sagar Pal and Vicky Gupta, the official said.
Choudhary allegedly provided financial support to Pal and Gupta to purchase a motorcycle and rent a house, he said.
He also conducted a recce around Khan's residence more than five times, the official said.
Before the firing incident, Choudhary went to Panvel in neighbouring Navi Mumbai and stayed with Pal and Gupta, he said.
Choudhary provided all the logistical support to the accused persons since the conspiracy of firing was hatched, the official said.
After a specific information received about Chowdhary's whereabouts, a crime branch team was sent to Rajasthan and he was apprehended from Nagaur district, he said.
The Mumbai police have so far arrested five persons in connection with the case of firing outside Khan's residence.
One of the arrested persons, Anuj Thapan, who was accused of supplying weapons to the shooters, allegedly hanged himself in a police lock-up here on May 1.
Lawrence Bishnoi, currently lodged in the Sabarmati central prison in Gujarat's Ahmedabad, and his younger brother Anmol Bishnoi, who is believed to be in the US or Canada, have been named in the firing case.
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Karnataka: College student dies by suicide in Dharwad, 3 policemen suspended
Dharwad (Karnataka) (PTI): A college student allegedly died by suicide here, following which three policemen were suspended over allegations of harassment linked to his death by the victim's family.
Aditya Myageri, a BSc student at a private college here, was among 18 students detained by the Vidyagiri police on April 25 during an anti-drug drive, police said on Wednesday.
He hailed from Belur village in Bagalkot district, but was staying with his friends at a rented accommodation in Girinagar area of Dharwad city, police said.
Among the 18 students tested, Aditya was among the 10 who had tested negative for ganja consumption and was subsequently released.
Some of his roommates, however, tested positive.
According to police, Aditya's family alleged that despite testing negative, he was harassed by police. They also claimed some policemen demanded Rs 2,000 to settle the matter and threatened legal action if he failed to pay.
He had called his mother asking for money, but she could not arrange it immediately, the family claimed.
On Monday night, Aditya allegedly died by suicide by hanging from a ceiling fan at his rented accommodation, with his family alleging police harassment and pressure over demand for money drove him to the extreme step, a senior police officer said.
Police Commissioner N Shashi Kumar told PTI that an unnatural death case has been registered at Vidyagiri police station. Three policemen have been suspended over the allegations, and further investigation is underway.
