MUMBAI: Seven, including a henchman of the notorious Lawrence Bishnoi gang were arrested on Tuesday after the police heard they were on their way to rob a jewellery shop in Mira Road. The anti-extortion squad of the Mira-Bhayandar-Vasai-Virar police seized two country-made pistols and eight live cartridges, ropes, and eight mobile phones from the vehicles used by the accused.
The Lawrence Bishnoi gang named after Bishnoi is known for allegedly having hundreds of shooters across the world. In recent years, the gang had surfaced in cases threatening Salman Khan, and even in connection with the 2022 murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala. While Bishnoi himself has been imprisoned since 2014 and faces multiple criminal charges including extortion and murder, he denies all charges. With Bishnoi allegedly communicating illegally with his associates, the gang continues to operate.
According to the police, they had received a tip off that the Bishnoi gang was going to commit an armed robbery in Penkarpada, Mira Road East. They then blocked off nearby roads, laid a trap for the accused, and found two suspicious cars parked along the highway.
When the police asked the people in the vehicles to get out, a high speed chase ensued, where the front window of the car broke. The police arrested the seven from their Thar jeep and SUV. One of the accused was identified to be Rohit Vankar, 23, alias Rohit Parmar, a suspected member of the Bishnoi gang, with several serious cases against him in Gujarat.
The other accused were Pratik Bhoir, 26, Neeraj Wekhande, 26, Sameer Palavi, 29, Bhavesh Gawale, 24, Amar Shirke, 30, and Vijay Warghade, 30. All of them have 12 cases registered against them in various police stations in Mumbai, Thane and Palghar districts.
“The men were armed but we were prepared to face them. Parmar, who is a member of the Bishnoi gang is being questioned about his ties with the gang and whether the loot was on the behest of Bishnoi,” said a police officer from the anti-extortion cell.