Jalandhar— Jalandhar Police on Tuesday shot and apprehended a gangster identified as Mankaran after an encounter in Salem Pur Masanda village. The accused, who sustained a bullet injury to his abdomen, was immediately taken into custody and admitted to the Civil Hospital for treatment.
According to police officials, Mankaran was aiding the shooters involved in the September 26 murder of Dharma alias Dharamjit Singh in Amritsar’s Cheharta area. Following the killing, Mankaran had been on the run. His movements were traced near Salem Pur by the Jalandhar City CIA staff earlier in the day.
Around 11 a.m., CIA City in-charge Surinder Singh Kamboj and his team reached the location after confirming his presence. Upon spotting the police party, Mankaran allegedly opened fire, prompting retaliatory action by officers. During the exchange, he was shot in the abdomen and fell to the ground. Police recovered illegal weapons from the scene.
Senior officers of Jalandhar City Police later reached the spot to oversee the situation.
Investigations revealed that the murdered gangster Dharma was previously convicted in the 2012 killing of ASI Ravinderpal Singh. He was also facing four other cases under the NDPS and Arms Acts. In connection with Dharma’s murder, police had earlier arrested three accused — Navraj Singh alias Noor, Dalwinder Singh alias Billi, and Shubhdeep Singh alias Shubh. The shooters and their foreign handlers have also been identified, with Mankaran being one of the key aides linked to the crime.
Police have registered a case and are conducting further investigations into the network associated with Mankaran.
