Highlights
- 4 including two sharpshooters -- Jagroop Rupa, Manpreet Manu -- were killed in the encounter
- They were holed up inside a farmhouse and were eliminated in a five hours of fire exchange
- Moosewala was gunned down on May 29 close to his native village near Mansa in Punjab
Moose Wala's murder: At least four gangsters including two shooters, Jagroop Singh Roopa, Manpreet Singh, who were involved in Sidhu Moose Wala murder and were planning to cross the border to Pakistan were killed in the encounter with Punjab Police. According to reports, two policemen have sustained bullet injuries and two civilians were also injured. According to reports, gangsters Jagarup Rupa, Mannu Kusa, and two of their associates were gunned down by the police. An AK47, foreign-made pistols, and a large number of bullets and magazines were found in their possession. The search operation is still being carried out in the haveli in Bhakna village where they were hiding. "We were keeping track of accused in the Sidhu Moosewala murder case and our task force saw some movement in this area. We acted upon it. Our forensic team is at the spot for further investigation. Heavy exchange of fire took place today, 2 gangsters involved in Sidhu Moose Wala case namely Jagroop Singh Roopa & Manpreet Singh killed. We have recovered an AK47 & a pistol. 3 police officials have also suffered minor injuries, " informed Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann congratulated the state police and the anti-gangster task force for successfully executing an operation against two gangsters in the state. In a statement issued, the CM said the state government has launched a decisive war against the gangsters and anti-social elements in the state.
- The operation was carried out by the Anti-Gangster Task Force at Bhakna village close to the Attari border, where Manpreet Singh, a.k.a. Manu, and Jagroop Singh, a.k.a. Rupa, were holed up. Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav was present at the encounter spot.
- Anti-Gangster Task Force chief Pramod Ban confirmed the killing of Manpreet, a henchman of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, along with Rupa. They, among others, had fired at Moosewala on May 29 which led to the singer's death on the spot.
- Last month, Ban told the media that jailed gangster Bishnoi, the main conspirator, had confessed that the plan to kill Moosewala was hatched in August last year to avenge the murder of Vicky Middukhera.
- Ban had said 13 people have been arrested in the case so far after the first arrest was made on May 30, a day after the murder of Moosewala. Ban had said that the shooters had reached Mansa on May 25, the scene of the crime close to Moosa village. "Some of the weapons were provided to them on reaching Punjab. AK series assault rifles were used to gun down Moosewala," he had said.
- Canada-based gangster Goldy Brar, who is a member of the Bishnoi gang, had claimed responsibility for Moosewala's murder.
- Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, also known as Sidhu Moosewala, was shot dead in Punjab's Mansa district on May 29. A CCTV footage recently surfaced showing Roopa and Kusa riding a bike at Samalsar in Moga district on June 21.
- Police have identified six shooters who were part of the two modules involved in the killing.
- It is believed that Kusa had fired at Moosewala with an AK-47 rifle. Kusa and Roopa were in a Toyota Corolla car which was trailing Moosewala's vehicle at Jawahar Ke village in Mansa district on May 29. After committing the crime, Kusa and Roopa had snatched a car which was later found abandoned in Moga district.
- Three shooters, who were allegedly involved in the murder of singer Moose Wala, were absconding. Two of them Jagroop Roopa and Manpreet are believed to be engaged in encounter today and were killed. Sources say Manpreet was the first one to open fire on Sidhu Moose Wala using an AK47.
- The Special Cell of the Delhi Police had earlier nabbed three shooters -- Priyavrat Fauji, Kashish and Ankit Sirsa. Jagroop Singh Roopa and Manpreet Singh alias Mannu Kusa were part of the second module.
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