Former international kabaddi player arrested for killing BJP leader

New Delhi, Sep 21 (AZINS) A former international kabaddi player wanted for the killing of a BJP leader in Uttar Pradesh has been arrested from west Delhi, police said on Thursday.

Police said Raju Pehalwan, 33, a resident of Ghaziabad, was arrested on Wednesday night from Siraspur area on a tip-off while planning to change his hideout.

Pehalwan was wanted for the sensational daylight contract killing of Bharatiya Janata Party leader Gajender Bhati on September 2 in Khoda area at Ghaziabad.

Pehalwan and Narender indiscriminately fired at Bhati and his associate Balbir Chauhan, killing the BJP leader on the spot and injuring Chauhan.

"He had also taken a contract for killing Loni mall owner Sanjeev Nagar for Rs 8 lakh and received an advance of Rs 30,000," Deputy Commissioner of Police Sanjeev Kumar Yadav said.

Pehalwan said businessman Suraj and Pramod had given him a contact to kill Nagar owing to a monetary dispute and was looking for an opportunity to strike.

"Narender, arrested by Uttar Pradesh Police on September 11, told police that he and Pehalwan killed Bhati at the instance of former Sahibabad legislator Amarpal Sharma for Rs 10 lakh, of which Rs 50,000 was paid in advance," the officer added.

Pehalwan claimed enmity with Bhati after a fight in 2013 in a road rage case. Pehalwan was seriously injured and Bhati booked in a case of attempt to murder, in which both arrived at a compromise in 2015 owing to social pressure.

"Pehalwan said Bhati had fired at his sportswear factory in Noida but no case was registered due to his influence. Sharma later approached him to kill Bhati," the officer said.

Born in 1984 in Loni in Ghaziabad district of Uttar Pradesh, Pehalwan was a member of gold-medal winning team in kabaddi at the Asian Championship in 2007 in Sri Lanka and participated in various other international tournaments. He represented Uttar Pradesh at the national level from 2005 to 2009, the DCP said.