Sunil Yadav, a wanted drug smuggler in India, was reportedly killed in a shootout on Monday in the United States. According to media reports, Yadav was killed in Stockton, California. A Facebook account, named Rohit Godara, who claimed to be associated with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, claimed responsibility for the attack. In a social media post, Godara claimed that Yadav was killed as he was sharing "sensitive" information about the Bihsnoi gang's movement. Notably, Godara and Bishnoi gangs accused Yadav of being involved in the killing of gangster Ankit Bhadu during a Punjab Police encounter and stated the attack was carried out as retribution.
The Bishnoi gang claimed Yadav shared the location of Bhadu with the Punjab Police, leading to his death in an encounter in Zirakpur. Bhadu was killed by the Punjab Police’s Organised Crime Control Unit (OCCU) in February 2019 while hiding in a flat with an accomplice.
"To all brothers, I, Rohit Godara, and Goldy Brar, take full responsibility for the murder of Sunil Yadav, alias Goli, in California. He colluded with the Punjab Police to orchestrate the encounter of our beloved brother, Ankit Bhadu. We avenged his death." The post also provided the house number (6706) where Yadav was killed and accused Sunil Yadav of being involved in the drug trade, supplying narcotics to Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan, with alleged connections to the police. It further claimed that he fled to the USA after his involvement in Ankit Bhadu's encounter was revealed. The post ended with a threatening message: "To all our enemies, be ready. We will find you, no matter where you are in the world."
How did the Punjab Police kill Bhadu in 2019?
The gangster, said to be around 25 years of age, carried a cash reward of Rs 1 lakh which was announced by Rajasthan Police. Police said Bhadu was wanted in several criminal cases both by Punjab and Rajasthan police. According to AIG Gurmeet Chauhan, the gangster jumped from upper floor of the residential apartment when police reached to arrest him.
The gangster then took a family that included a six-year-old girl as hostage. When Bhadu was asked to surrender, he opened fire at the police party in which a cop was said to have sustained injury.
The girl also sustained injury and had to be hospitalized, however, the family is safe,Chauhan said. Police said Bhadu had jumped regular bail over a year back. Bhadu, a close aide of notorious gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, was said to be on Rajasthan Police's "most wanted" list in connection with cases of murder, dacoity, loot and extortion.
(With inputs from agency)
