In a swift crackdown on escalating gang violence, Ranchi police arrested five suspects Monday following a chaotic shootout between two criminal groups late Saturday night in the Pandra police station area. The operation, directed by Senior Superintendent of Police Rakesh Ranjan, involved a Special Investigation Team (SIT) conducting raids across various parts of the city.
The key accused, Sanjay Pandey, along with accomplices Bablu, Ravi, Ajju Sah, and another associate, were all linked to the real estate business. Sources indicate that interrogations have already yielded crucial leads, paving the way for further actions against the network.
The confrontation erupted near Manya Tower in Pandra over dominance in land deals. Eyewitnesses described how an initial verbal spat between the Sandeep Thapa gang and Sanjay’s group quickly escalated into a barrage of gunfire, sending panic rippling through the neighborhood.
Three young men—Akash Singh, his brother Vikas Singh, and Ravi Yadav—sustained serious injuries. Akash was shot in the hand, while Vikas took bullets to the chest and arm. All three are now stable in hospital care.
Investigations reveal a long-simmering dispute over a plot behind Transport Nagar on Ring Road, involving a transaction worth around 55 lakh rupees. The groups had gathered ostensibly to resolve the issue, but tensions boiled over into violence. Police recovered about a dozen empty shells from the scene.
Responding promptly, Pandra station officers, Kotwali DSP, and senior officials sealed the area, detained several suspects for questioning, and used forensic and technical evidence to pinpoint and apprehend the five men. Authorities warn that gang rivalries in real estate pose a growing threat to public safety, vowing intensified patrols and probes to dismantle these syndicates.