Gangster held in Ludhiana gold robbery case

The Punjab Police on Thursday claimed to have solved the sensational gold robbery case that took place in Ludhiana last month with the arrest of a gangster.

Accused Gagan Judge was held after a high drama at the Sector 36 market in Chandigarh when he attempted to fire at a team of the organised crime control unit (OCCU) of police.

Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh, IGP (OCCU), said around Rs 31 lakh in cash, a pistol, two magazines and 50 live cartridges were recovered from Gagan.

The IGP said the gang used to call its members on wireless handsets to avoid interception.

Punjab DGP Dinkar Gupta has announced a reward for the OCCU team for their bravery and said in a statement that raids were being conducted to nab other members of the gang.

Gagan was among the five suspects involved in the robbery of around 30 kg of gold at gunpoint from a branch of India Infoline Finance Ltd in Ludhiana's Gill Road area on February 17.

Four men with their faces covered had entered the IIFL branch while one stayed outside in a car, police had said earlier, adding that there was no security guard outside the branch at the time of the incident.

The accused had then asked the staff to handover keys of the safe where the gold ornaments were kept.

They tied the staff members with a rope and decamped with nearly 30 kg of gold ornaments.

Gagan and his gang members are allegedly involved in more than two dozen cases of contract killing, attempt to murder, extortion, auto theft and other serious activities.

He was closely associated with another absconding gangster, Jaipal, the statement said.