Bilaspur — The police investigation into the recent shootout outside the Bilaspur District Court has unveiled a shocking twist, identifying Puranjan Thakur, the elder son of former MLA Bamber Thakur, as the mastermind behind the attack. This revelation was made by Bilaspur Superintendent of Police Vivek Chahal during a press conference.
According to SP Chahal, the primary shooter, Sunny Gill, who is in police custody, confessed during interrogation that Puranjan Thakur orchestrated the entire conspiracy. “Sunny Gill revealed that Puranjan had called him to shoot at Saurabh Patial, arranging a monetary transaction for the hit,” said Chahal. The police have launched a manhunt to apprehend Puranjan, forming multiple teams to expedite the search. A case has been registered under the Arms Act, along with charges of attempted murder.
Sunny Gill, a resident of Ludhiana, disclosed that he had received part of the payment upfront, with the remaining sum to be paid upon completion of the crime. Further investigation led to the arrest of another accomplice, Anmol Sharma alias Gaurav Nadda, a student who sheltered Sunny in his father’s government residence in Changar. “The shooter had been staying with Gaurav since June 16,” Chahal added. A search of the residence revealed various items belonging to the shooter. Both Sunny Gill and Gaurav Nadda have been remanded in police custody for five days following their court appearance on Friday.
SP Chahal confirmed the existence of compelling evidence against Puranjan, including call records documenting conversations between him and Sunny Gill. In a preemptive move, Puranjan has filed a petition for anticipatory bail, with the High Court scheduled to hear the case on June 25.
In an unexpected development, former MLA Bamber Thakur was summoned for questioning at the Sadar police station. Thakur disclosed in a press conference that he received a call from an unknown number post-shooting, which he did not answer. Subsequently, a call was made to his son’s phone, which Puranjan answered. This connection has intensified scrutiny on the former MLA as well.
The investigation further revealed that Sunny Gill procured the firearm used in the shootout from Meerut. Initially planning to commit another crime in Anandpur Sahib, Sunny was redirected to Bilaspur by Puranjan.
This incident is not Puranjan Thakur’s first brush with the law. His name previously surfaced in connection with an assault and shooting involving tourists at a dhaba in Binola in August 2016, during his father’s tenure as an MLA from 2012 to 2017. Puranjan was also arrested in a Charas case in Mandi but was sent to a juvenile home as he was a minor at the time.
