Surat: The Detection of Crime Branch (DCB) in Surat has arrested an alleged Uttar Pradesh-based gangster carrying a cumulative bounty of ₹1.5 lakh. The accused, identified as Sholey Singh Thakur alias Anand Singh (26), was apprehended from the Khatodara area. Police said he headed the “Sholey Gang” and was allegedly involved in several serious offences, including murder, attempted murder, extortion and firing incidents.

Authorities in Uttar Pradesh’s Jaunpur and Pratapgarh districts had announced rewards of ₹1 lakh and ₹50,000 respectively for information leading to his arrest.

Additional Commissioner of Police Karanraj Vaghela said the DCB’s anti-organised crime squad received intelligence that a wanted criminal hiding in Palsana was planning a major offence in Surat.

“Acting on the tip-off, we arrested Sholey Singh, who is wanted in five serious cases registered at various police stations in Uttar Pradesh. Overall, nine criminal cases have been registered against him,” Vaghela said.

According to police, Singh had allegedly demanded ₹1 crore in extortion money from the principal of St Xavier’s School in Jaunpur’s Badlapur area. To intimidate the victim, he allegedly fired four rounds outside the school gate.

In another case, Singh allegedly demanded ₹50 lakh as protection money from a doctor in Badlapur and allegedly opened fire after the demand was not met, injuring the doctor in the leg. Investigators also claimed he had threatened a bank manager in Uttar Pradesh.

Police further said that after the school principal refused to pay the extortion amount, Singh allegedly returned to the school and fired additional rounds near the gate to create fear and pressure.

Investigators said Singh allegedly aspired to establish himself as a “bahubali” in Jaunpur district and had formed his own gang by recruiting members from different criminal groups operating in Uttar Pradesh. The gang was allegedly active in Badlapur, Baksha, Pratapgarh and Jaunpur, where it targeted businessmen and influential individuals for extortion.

Police recovered two pistols and six live cartridges from his possession. Investigators suspect the seized weapons may have been used in crimes committed in Uttar Pradesh.

Police said Singh moved to Surat after Uttar Pradesh police intensified efforts to trace him. Investigators found that he had previously lived in Surat and worked as a tailor and later as a security guard, helping him remain under the radar for some time. DeshGujarat