Rajkot firing case: Two more arrested, police hunt for more suspects

Ahmedabad, Nov 3 (IANS) The Rajkot police have achieved a breakthrough in the firing incident that took place outside a city hospital. The Special Operations Group (SOG) has arrested two more accused for allegedly assisting in the gunfire exchange linked to the ongoing rivalry between the Penda and Murga gangs.

The two arrested accused have been identified as Kamlesh and Bharat Dabhi.

The duo was nabbed from Samadhiyala village in Babra in Amreli district, where they had been hiding since the attack. Police have initiated the process to secure their remand for further interrogation.

According to the investigation, three different weapons were used in the shootout, which occurred around midnight on October 29 near Mangla Main Road, when members of the rival gangs opened fire at each other, leaving one person injured.

Neither gang lodged a formal complaint after the incident, prompting police to register an FIR suo motu against 11 individuals from both groups. Six empty cartridges and one live bullet were recovered from the scene.

Following a CCTV-led probe, police earlier arrested seven suspects, including Harshdeep alias Metiyo Zala, Jaivik alias Montu Rojasara, Jignesh alias Bhaylu Gadhvi, Himmat alias Kalu Langa Gadhvi, Lakirajsinh Zala, Manishdan Gadhvi, and Parimal alias Pariyo Solanki.

Officers also seized two country-made pistols, three cartridges, and a car worth over Rs 3.75 lakh. Preliminary investigations suggest the gang war erupted over a woman, allegedly linked to a member of the Murga gang. The rivalry between the two groups has been brewing for nearly ten months, marked by multiple retaliatory shootings -- including incidents in January, February, and August this year.

The latest arrests bring the total number of accused held in the Rajkot firing case to nine, as police continue a statewide manhunt for the remaining suspects. Authorities said that while the operation to capture the fugitives continues, the city police are determined to dismantle both gangs and restore peace in Rajkot.

--IANS

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