Jammu Police Crackdown: 11 Arrested in Gataru Gang Leader’s Daylight Murder, Mastermind Identified
Jammu, 05-02-2025: In a significant breakthrough, Jammu Police have apprehended 11 individuals, including two juveniles, in connection with the broad daylight murder of Gataru gang leader Sumit Jandyal, who was killed over a long-standing gang rivalry. The police have also identified the main conspirator behind the murder, who is currently residing abroad, and efforts are underway to facilitate his deportation.
Jammu Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Joginder Singh, addressing the media, revealed that Jandyal was fatally shot multiple times while seated in an SUV near Jewel Chowk on January 21. The assailants, after abandoning their getaway vehicle, fled the crime scene on a stolen scooter. Despite being rushed to GMC Hospital by a police team, Jandyal was declared dead on arrival.
The police have arrested not only the key shooters but also those involved in planning and executing the attack, including conspirators, facilitators, and individuals who harbored the criminals. Based on human and technical intelligence, as well as CCTV footage analysis, the assailants were identified. Given the severity of the crime, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted, which subsequently rounded up nearly 30 suspects and conducted extensive raids across Jammu, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh.
The investigation revealed that Jandyal’s murder was a result of an ongoing rivalry between him and Vikas Slathia, a notorious gangster from Mandi Gharota in Samba. Their enmity escalated after the 2023 murder of Akshay Kumar, a Gataru gang member, at Ramgarh by Slathia’s gang. Following Akshay Kumar’s killing, a violent encounter between the two gangs and the police took place at GMC Hospital in Kathua, during which Probationary Sub-Inspector Deepak Sharma and a wanted criminal, Vasudev Kumar, were killed. Seeking revenge for Vasudev’s death, Slathia allegedly orchestrated Jandyal’s assassination.
Harsh Singh, alias Banta, was allegedly tasked with hiring shooters for the murder. To facilitate the crime, a one-room accommodation was rented in Shastri Nagar, where the attack was meticulously planned. Weapons were procured from outside Jammu and Kashmir, and an Alto car was purchased for Rs 1,05,000 a week before the murder to conduct reconnaissance and execute the plan.
During the course of the investigation, police recovered the car and scooter used in the crime from different locations in Jammu and Samba. With 11 arrests already made, efforts are ongoing to apprehend the remaining accused. Additionally, authorities are probing financial transactions linked to the planning and execution of the murder.
Jammu Police have reiterated their firm stance against organized crime, particularly gangsterism. SSP Joginder Singh issued a stern warning to criminal elements, emphasizing that law enforcement will take stringent action against anyone engaging in unlawful activities. The operation stands as a testament to the police’s commitment to maintaining law and order and ensuring that such brazen acts of violence do not go unpunished.
