Two sharpshooters of Nandu gang wanted in connection with Panchkula triple murder nabbed in Bengaluru

Wanted for the chilling triple murder that rocked Panchkula on the night of December 23, 2024, two sharpshooters of Kapil Sangwan alias Nandu gang have been arrested in Bengaluru, police confirmed on Thursday.

The Special Cell of Delhi Police arrested two accused, identified as Sahil alias Poli, and Vijay Gehlot, on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday, he said.

Police said in a statement that the accused were arrested after a 5,000-kilometer chase at various places in Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan and Karnataka.

“Both the suspects were wanted for their involvement in multiple crimes, including the high-profile Panchkula triple murder case and the broad daylight murders in Tilak Nagar and Kakrola in Delhi,” a senior police officer said.

The officer further said that the team was tracking the movements of the fugitives and conducted multiple raids in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Karnataka before apprehending them.

₹2 lakh, 3 phones recovered

Three cell phones and ₹$2 million in cash was recovered from the duo. He added that the items were being analyzed for further evidence and links to the criminal network.

Sahil was first arrested in 2018 in connection with a robbery in Delhi’s Najafgarh. Police said that while in custody, he met Sachin Chhikara, a prominent member of the Nandu gang.

After his release, Sahil committed further crimes as per the gang’s instructions, including the murder of Roshan alias Chhota in Najafgarh, they said. Vijay was one of the most trusted agents of the Nandu gang.

Panchkula police will obtain production warrants for further investigation in connection with the triple murder.

On December 24, around 2.40 am, Vinit Gehlot alias Vicky, 34, his 17-year-old nephew and Vandana, 22, alias Nia, were leaving Hotel Sultanat in Burj Kotia area of ​​Panchkula after a birthday party when two assailants shot in the hotel parking lot.

Police later confirmed that the attack was sparked by a long-standing rivalry between the Manjeet Mahal and Nandu gangs.

The police identified the attackers as Sahil and Vijay, who they claimed had traveled from Himachal Pradesh to Panchkula with the sole intention of attacking Vinit, a member of Manjeet Mahal’s gang.

Vinit also had five cases against him, including murder, robbery and extortion. In 2019, Vinit was injured in a police shootout with the Dwarka gang in Najafgarh.

His elder brother Ashok Gehlot, who is lodged in Delhi’s Mandoli Jail under the MCOCA, is facing 18 cases of murder, extortion and the Arms Act.

A gang run by a gangster from Great Britain

The Nandu gang is known for its involvement in violent crimes, especially in Delhi and surrounding regions. The gang is run by UK-based gangster Kapil Sangwan, alias Nandu. In March this year, Sangwan, in a social media post, claimed responsibility for shooting Haryana Indian National Dal (INLD) president Nafe Singh Rathee.

The post said Rathee was killed as a result of his close friendship with Sangwan’s rival, gangster Manjeet Mahal. Sangwan, a native of Najafgarh, was embroiled in a long-running dispute with the Mahal faction that resulted in numerous casualties over the years.