DNCA REPORTER Bilimora, Navsari – In a dramatic late-night operation, Gujarat's State Monitoring Cell (SMC) clashed with members of the notorious Lawrence Bishnoi gang in a fierce exchange of fire near Mini Somnath Temple in Bilimora on Monday night. Four accused, including an injured sharpshooter, were arrested and three country-made pistols along with 27 live cartridges were seized.
According to police sources, SMC received specific intelligence that two Haryana and Madhya Pradesh-based operatives of the Bishnoi gang had arrived in Bilimora to deliver weapons to their local Rajasthan-based associates. The buyers – Manish Kaluram Kumawat and Madan Gopiram Kumawat – were staying at a hotel, while the suppliers – Yash Singh (Haryana) and Rishabh Ashok Sharma (Madhya Pradesh) – were waiting in the parking area of Ganeshdev Mahadev Temple.
SMC team first nabbed the two Rajasthan-based receivers from the temple parking and during interrogation learned that Yash Singh and Rishabh Sharma had gone to the nearby Mini Somnath Temple for darshan.
When the SMC team reached the temple premises, the armed gang members attempted to flee. Yash Singh, a designated sharpshooter of the Bishnoi gang, opened fire on the police team. In self-defense, SMC Police Inspector Chandrashekhar Panara retaliated, hitting Yash Singh in the leg.
Two rounds were fired in the exchange. The injured Yash Singh was immediately rushed to the government hospital in Mangoshi where his condition is now stable. After treatment, he was formally placed under arrest along with the other three accused.
The arrested individuals are:
- Yash Singh Sundar Singh (Haryana) – injured sharpshooter
- Rishabh Ashok Sharma (Madhya Pradesh)
- Manish Kaluram Kumawat (Rajasthan)
- Madan Gopiram Kumawat (Rajasthan)
All four accused have been taken to Gandhinagar under heavy security for further interrogation. The daring operation has once again exposed the expanding reach of the Bishnoi gang into Gujarat for arms trafficking.