By Tannistha Dey
Two suspected members of the Rohit Godara–Goldy Brar gang were killed in a police encounter in Ghaziabad’s Tronica City on Wednesday evening. The deceased, identified as Ravindra (24) and Arun (27), were allegedly involved in the firing incident outside Bollywood actress Disha Patani’s residence in Bareilly on September 12.
The police carried out jointly making teams from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Delhi, following a coordinated investigation into the high-profile attack.
The firing which took place in the initial hours of September 12, caused no injuries but triggered alarm due to its closeness to a well-known public figure. Shortly after the incident, fugitive gangsters Rohit Godara and Satinderjeet Singh alias Goldy Brar released a video on social media claiming responsibility for the attack. They alleged it was carried out in retaliation for an insult made by Patani’s sister, Khushboo, against spiritual figures Premanand Maharaj and Anirudh Acharya Maharaj.
Rohit Godara, 36, originally from Bikaner in Rajasthan, is a wanted criminal and has at least 30 cases on him, including murder, extortion, and arms-related offences. Godara reportedly fled away from India using a fake passport. Now suspected to be residing in the United Kingdom. A Red Corner Notice has been issued against him.
Goldy Brar, 31, hails from Sri Muktsar Sahib in Punjab and moved to Canada in 2017. A former associate of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, Brar is accused of orchestrating the murder of singer Sidhu Moose Wala and several other criminal activities across North India. He is also wanted by the NIA, Punjab Police, and Delhi Police.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the broader network who is allegedly behind the attack. The recovery of weapons and evidence which are digital from the encounter site may provide further leads in dismantling the gang’s operations.