Munna Bajrangi's murder may have been planned, post mortem reveals he was shot at from close range

NEW DELHI: Gangster Munna Bajrangi's murder in the Baghpat jail on Monday may have been planned. The postmortem report of the dreaded gangster said that carbon of the bullet was found on his body revealing that he would have been shot at from a close range. Seven bullets were fired at him out of which one got hit him in the chest and got stuck. The bullet has been sent for forensic test.

Prem Prakash Singh alias Munna Bajrangi was shot dead in the Baghpat jail on Monday and was cremated at the Manikarnika Ghat in Varanasi on Tuesday. Hundreds of supporters were present at his cremation and raised slogans hailing the gangster. 

The 51-year-old was shot in the head and chest with a sophisticated handgun and his body was dumped in a gutter inside the jail on Monday morning. The incident took place just hours before he was to be produced in a court in Baghpat. 

"He was brought to District Jail Baghpat from Jhansi last (Sunday) night. At 6.30 am today, a convict lodged in the jail shot him dead and hid the pistol in a gutter. Few days ago, we had made UP CM aware of threat to his life," Munna Bajrangi's lawyer V Srivastava said. 

According to Additional Director General - Prison, the convict who shot at Bajrangi is Sunil Rathi. He fired the bullet following an altercation with the gangster. "There was an altercation between Sunil Rathi and him after which he shot him dead. He has been detained and is being interrogated. Jailor, deputy jailor, warden and head warden have been suspended. Have requested judicial and magisterial inquiry," he said.

Bajrangi's wife Seema Singh has named legislator Sushil Singh and another gangster, Dhananjay Singh, in the FIR lodged by her. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered the suspension of four jail officials. He has assured that the guilty would be punished. He said, "Such an incident occurring inside jail premises is a serious matter. We will conduct an in-depth investigation and strict action will be taken against those responsible."