Wrestler-turned-arms dealer nabbed by Delhi Police in Baghpat

The Delhi Police has arrested a 32-year-old national-level wrestler-turned arms dealer, alleged to be involved in several serious crimes, an officer said on Saturday.

Sonu Langada alias Pahalwan, police said, turned to supplying illegal arms to criminals after a road accident led to the amputation of his leg. He was nabbed after being on the run for nearly eight years.

Sonu Langada was captured on May 29 from his native village in Uttar Pradesh’s Baghpat, the officer said. He had been declared a proclaimed offender on June 29, 2017, in connection with an arms supply case.

He has a long history of crimes with involvement in at least six serious cases, including murder, rape, kidnapping, dacoity, and under the SC/ST Act, Arms Act, and excise violations, across police stations in Uttar Pradesh, the officer said.

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While he went on his crime spree, Sonu lived with his family in the village and did farming.

He was arrested in connection with the murder of a cable operator on April 6, 2016.

Back then, the Crime Branch received inputs that two individuals – Rahul alias Sunny and Vikas alias Vicky — suspected of murdering the cable operator, were planning a retaliatory attack in Rohini, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Apoorva Gupta said.

Both suspects were arrested with a pistol, a country-made firearm, and 10 bullets in their possession and gave up Sonu Langada as the supplier of the arms under grilling, she said.

Sonu Langada managed to dodge police despite several raids for eight years, till he was traced to his village, the DCP said.

During interrogation, he said that he had been a promising national-level wrestler until his leg was amputated after a road accident in 2013. Struggling to make ends meet, he took to crime to support his family, the officer said.

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“He aligned with local gangs and became an active player in the illicit arms trade, also supplying liquor to various criminal networks,” she added.