Notorious gangster Sangramsinh shot in the leg after trying to snatch cop’s revolver

A notorious gangster facing nine serious criminal cases was shot in the leg by the Ahmedabad Crime Branch on Friday morning after he allegedly tried to snatch a police inspector’s service revolver and attacked the escort team during a custody transfer.

The accused, Sangramsinh Rakeshsinh Sikarwar (35), a resident of Vastral in Ahmedabad and originally from Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh, has a long history of violent crime. Police said Sikarwar is wanted in at least nine cases, including murder, attempt to murder, abduction, extortion and offences under the Prohibition and Gujarat Police Acts. He has also been linked to multiple murders in the past.

According to Crime Branch officials, Sikarwar, who was under arrest in connection with the recent abduction and ₹52-lakh robbery of a land trader in Vastral, was being escorted for a routine custody transfer when he allegedly attempted to overpower the team and seize the revolver of the police inspector accompanying him.

The custody scuffle

According to senior officers of the Crime Branch, the main accused, identified as Sangramsinh Rakeshsinh Sikarwar, was being escorted late to the Crime Branch after the case investigation was handed over to the Crime Branch on Thursday night, when he allegedly attempted to overpower Police Inspector S J Jadeja near the Sabarmati Riverfront.

Police said Sikarwar, who was seated in a Bolero along with two constables and a police inspector, lunged for the inspector’s service revolver while the vehicle was in motion. “He tried to seize the weapon and fire at the escorting team. In the scuffle, two rounds were fired. One of the bullets struck Sikarwar, while in the process, the inspector and a constable were also injured,” Sharad Singhal, JCP Crime Branch said.

The bullet struck Sikarwar in the leg. He was rushed to Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, where doctors treated him for a fracture, and he will be discharged later. He remains in police custody.

History of violent crime

Investigators described Sikarwar as a notorious gangster originally from Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, now residing in Vastral, Ahmedabad. He is allegedly involved in nine criminal cases, including murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping, and extortion, as well as offences under the Prohibition and Gujarat Police Acts.

Police said the Ramol robbery was the latest in a series of violent crimes attributed to his gang. Preliminary investigation suggests the group operated in a military-style formation, carefully planning hits and carrying out reconnaissance before striking. Officers believe the accused had received some form of tactical training that made them “more dangerous than ordinary highway robbers”.

Given the alleged attempt to seize a police weapon, the Crime Branch has added attempt to murder charges to the FIR. Other charges relating to murder, robbery and criminal conspiracy are also being examined.

Crime Branch takes over probe

Because of the gravity and interstate nature of the offences, all nine cases linked to Sikarwar and his associates have been transferred to the Ahmedabad City Crime Branch. Senior officers said multiple teams have been formed to trace other possible accomplices and to track the gang’s movements in the days leading up to the robbery.

“The accused appear to have operated like an organised crime syndicate,” a senior officer said. “We are analysing CCTV footage and digital evidence to identify any remaining associates and to map the entire network.”