City resident held for firing at Chandigarh hotelier’s house

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 6

A 23-year-old hotel management student has been arrested for his involvement in the firing at a hotelier’s house in Sector 33 here recently. The police said it was his first job to make an entry into the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. The assailant has been identified as Karan Sharma, a resident of Ludhiana. He is pursuing hotel management from a private university in Rajpura.

Karan has earlier worked at a mobile store and was in touch with Dipu Banur who is lodged at the Ambala jail.

During interrogation, Karan revealed that Dipu had asked him to meet Sewak, alias Guri, for some work. Guri had also arranged a car for the assailants to carry out the crime. A police official said, “Karan had got in touch with Dipu through social media. Dipu will be brought to the city on production warrant, the police said.

The police said preliminary investigation revealed that a total of five assailants had gone to Sector 33 to commit the crime. Karan revealed the names of the remaining four assailants, who were yet to be arrested, the police said, adding that the motive behind the crime was yet to be established.

The assailants had opened indiscriminate fire at businessman and hotelier Rakesh Singla’s house in Sector 33 on May 31. At least 17 bullets were fired at the house. The assailants had come looking for Rakesh’s brother Arvind Singla, an established liquor contractor.

Sources said Karan was promised around Rs10,000 for the committing the crime. However, he was yet to receive the same.

“Karan has no criminal past and was being tested if he could be a part of the gang,” the police official said.

Earlier, the police had arrested Sewak, alias Guri, who had provided the car used in the crime to the assailants, and Kulwinder Singh, alias Kala, who had provided shelter to the attackers.