Caught! Gangster Ravi Pujari's hitmen in Mumbai

In a breakthrough, Mumbai Police on Monday claimed to have cracked the five-month old module of gangster Ravi Pujari operating in Mumbai, with the arrest of three Nepalis and two Gujaratis, who used to flee to Ahmedabad after carrying out every firing in the city.

The accused identified as Harkbahadur Bhandari (30), Paresh Nepali (26), Narendra Soni (27) -- hailing from Nepal -- and Harshad Maru (26) and Kannu Thakur (20) -- hailing from Gujarat -- were arrested on Sunday for their alleged role in three firing incidents reported in June and July targeting two businessmen and a builder, police said.

Bhandari, who formed the module in April this year at the behest of Pujari's close aide Rajendra Choundary, who was shot dead in an encounter on Saturday, was nabbed when he was about to board a train at Mumbai Central railway station while the remaining four were apprehended from Ahmedabad, said Joint Police Commissioner (Crime) Himanshu Roy.

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One 7.65 mm country-made revolver, four mobiles, five cartridges and one SIM card were seized from them, Roy said, adding, "We are contemplating to apply Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against the five."

On June 4, Pujari's men fired at suburban Khar's Perfect Travel Agency office while on June 30, a builder was injured after being shot at in D N Nagar area. On July 16, three men had opened fire at Notandas jewellery shop.

Following the incidents, a team was formed with policemen from Anti Extortion Cell and Property Cell to crack down on Pujari 'increasing' activities and the arrest of the five was a significant breakthrough for them, Roy said.

"In all the three firing cases, shooters of this module were involved. They left for Ahmedabad after each shooting. All five were paid Rs 20,000 after every firing by Rajendra, who was in direct contact with Pujari," Roy said.

Pujari's men tried to create fear among Mumbai's businessmen and builders with such firing incidents in order to extort money, Roy said.

"There were instances where a small piece of paper was also dropped after the firing with a phone number and Pujari name," he added.

All five have criminal background. Bhandari, who stayed in Ahmedabad with four others, used to provide labourers for various works such cooking, cleaning, car driving etc, Roy said.

The four were working under him as labourers when he formed the gang, he said, adding that the accused were remanded to police custody till September 18.