A ‘B’ class gangster, Harjit Singh Penta, who was affiliated with Devinder Bambiha group, was killed on the instructions of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi over rivalry, Moga police stated on Friday.

The police additionally arrested two accused — Parbat Singh of Moga’s Kussa village and Rupanjali of Nangloi in New Delhi — and recognized three others as Manpreet Singh alias Mannu, additionally from Kussa; Prem from Tarn Taran and Lawrence Bishnoi’s brother Anmol Bishnoi of Fazilka.

Penta, 32, was shot useless by two bike-borne assailants at Marhi Mustafa village in Moga’s Baghapurana final Saturday.

Inspector normal of police, Faridkot Range, PK Yadav stated the groups, which have been following the CCTV footage path, bought a tip-off after which a raid was performed at Jai Singh Wala to Chotian Tobe street.

“Parbat was arrested along with a .12 bore countrymade pistol, two live cartridges and one stolen Splendor bike. It was found that it was the same bike on which the assailants had come to kill Penta,” he added.

“During interrogation, Parbat revealed that Manpreet had shot at Penta while Prem was riding the bike. Parbat confessed that Manpreet showed him Penta’s house in Marhi Mustafa village on March 31 and went back to Amritsar side. On April 1, Parbat picked up a .30 bore pistol, which was used in the crime, from Bughipura Chowk on directions of Manpreet and handed it over to him on the day of the crime,” the cop said.

Yadav said that Chamkaur of Marhi Mustafa was brought on a production warrant from Ferozepur jail. “Chamkaur said that he got to know from fellow inmates that gangsters Bishnoi and Goldy Brar had sent their shooters Manpreet and Prem to kill Penta. The same was testified by one more person, Dharminder Bazzi, who was also brought on a production warrant,” he added.

“Dharminder revealed that Manpreet also had a personal enmity with Penta as he had thrashed him back in 2017 when they were lodged in Faridkot jail. This fight was a result of gang rivalry between Bambiha and Bishnoi group members,” he said.

The IGP said during the investigation of Facebook page ‘Lawrence Bishnoi’ created by the his group to claim the responsibility for the crime, it was found that it was created using a phone number that belonged to Rupanjali.

“For further investigation, a team was dispatched to Delhi. Rupanjali said she had come in contact with Anmol Bishnoi through Facebook. She has been arrested in the case, while police are conducting raids to nab the other three,” he added.

It has been learned that Manpreet has six cases, including murder and attempt to murder, registered against him. He has also been convicted in two cases of murder and attempt to murder.

Former Baghapurana SHO suspended

IGP Yadav said Penta was wanted in an Arms Act case, regarding which intimation was given to previous station house officer Kulwinder Singh for immediate action against him. “Due to negligence of the then Baghapurana SHO, he has been suspended and a regular departmental inquiry has been initiated against him,” he added.