Actor kidnap gang kingpin held after Bijnor encounter

Bijnor: The mastermind of a gang targeting actors through fake event invitations was arrested after an encounter with police on Mandawar Road in Bijnor, police said on Monday. While Lavi Pal was apprehended after he was shot in the leg, his close aide and cousin, Shubham, fled under cover of darkness.Bijnor SP Abhishek Jha said, "We received a tip-off that Lavi planned to meet Shubham in a mango orchard on Sunday night. As the police cordoned off the area, the suspects tried to flee and opened fire. A bullet hit the bullet-proof jacket of city SHO Uday Pratap Singh. Police returned fire, injuring Lavi in the leg. He was admitted to the district hospital."Police seized Rs 35,050 in cash, a country-made pistol, and two bullets from Lavi's possession. Three used cartridges were also found at the scene of the encounter.Investigations revealed the gang's involvement in high-profile kidnappings, including those of actor Mushtaq Khan and comedian Sunil Pal. On Oct 15, Lavi, posing as Rahul Saini, invited Mushtaq Khan to an event in Meerut, offering Rs 25,000 in advance and a flight ticket. On Nov 20, Khan was picked up from the Delhi airport, taken to Bijnor, and confined in a house in Chahshiri.The actor escaped the next morning while his captors were inebriated. "Mushtaq sought shelter at a nearby mosque and returned home safely. His event manager filed a report on Dec 9," Jha said. The gang used similar tactics to target Pal. Police registered a case against ten suspects and arrested seven, while three remain at large.Bijnor and Meerut police had announced a Rs 25,000 reward for Lavi's arrest. "The gang also attempted to abduct actors Shakti Kapoor and Rajesh Puri," Jha said. Kapoor escaped due to stalled negotiations, while Puri raised an alarm by sharing a selfie with the gang.
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