10 hoteliers in Zirakpur allege extortion by gang

Tribune News Service

Zirakpur, July 18

Eight to 10 Zirakpur-based hoteliers have come forward and told the police they were forced to pay varying sums of money as extortion to the Ankit Rana gang members. The police said more such hoteliers are likely to come forward with such details in the coming days.

Yesterday, the Zirakpur police and Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) had nabbed three members of the Bhupi Rana gang from Baltana, Zirakpur.

Gangster Bhupi Rana, currently lodged in the Patiala jail, is the main conspirator in the Vicky Middukhera murder case. He is allegedly operating an extortion racket through Ankit Rana in Punjab and neighbouring states.

Three gang members — Ranbir Singh, alias Rania; Vishal, alias Vikrant; and Ashish, alias Aman, all residents of Barwala, Panchkula — were arrested from a Baltana hotel after a cross-fire during an extortion attempt.

The police seized a .30 pistol, .32 pistol along with 10 live rounds from their possession. The police said Ranbir, who sustained a gunshot wound in the leg, had come with his accomplices on two motorcycles to collect Rs 50,000 monthly “protection money” from hotel owner Faizal.

The police had a tip-off after a Dhakoli hotelier had registered an extortion case on July 11. The police got a tip-off about gang members arriving in Baltana for payment and laid a trap.

Officials involved in the operation said the police team was shot at as they moved in to nab the suspects, taking them by surprise.

Zirakpur DSP Bikramjit Singh Brar said: “Ranbir has been booked in the past. We are verifying others’ record as well. Three to four more suspects are yet to be arrested in the case.”

A case under Sections 353, 186, 307 and 34 of the IPC and 25 of the Arms Act had been registered against them at the Zirakpur police station.

Hotel shootout: 4-day police remand for 3

• The three Ankit Rana gang members were on Monday produced in a local court, which remanded them in four-day police custody
• Gangster Bhupi Rana, main conspirator in the Vicky Middukhera murder case, is running extortion racket from Patiala jail through Ankit Rana

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