The Delhi Police Special Cell has arrested a key member and sharpshooter of the Lawrence Bishnoi and Kala Rana syndicate, officials said on Saturday.

The accused was newly recruited into the gang through social media platform by the gangsters Kala Rana and Bhanu Rana, they said.

The apprehended gang member was allegedly tasked to execute criminal activities across the national capital, a senior police official said.

The accused has been identified as Pradeep Singh, and the Special Cell team has recovered two semi- automatic pistols and nine live rounds of ammunition from his possession.

The accused was apprehended from Rohini’s sector 23 in Delhi on Wednesday, after an input was received by the police over his arrival in the area to meet other associates.

A case has been registered in this regard as per appropriate sections of law against the gang associate, the police said.

The Special Cell’s northern range has been assigned the task of apprehending the hardcore criminals and sharpshooters of such organised crime syndicates involved in sensational cases of murder, attempt to murder, extortion, robbery, carjacking and other crimes across Delhi and adjoining states.

The Cell’s team keeps a constant watch over the activities of such syndicates.

During interrogation, it was revealed that Pradeep Singh is a resident of Pauri Garhwal, Uttrakhand, and his father runs a grocery shop in his native village.

In August 2023, he started following Kala Rana on Instagram and sent him messages saying that he was willing to join his gang for fame, the police said.

Thereafter, in September 2023, he started communicating with Bhanu Rana through the Signal App on the directions of Kala Rana, a police official said.

Finally, on December 30 last year, Bhanu Rana allegedly tasked him to commit a targeted crime in Delhi along with other associates in the next 7-8 days for which some more people would meet him in the national capital, while the target details would be shared later.

According to police, accused Pradeep is a new entrant in the world of crime and was awestruck by the notoriety of gangsters and wanted to climb up in the ranks by executing any orders given by his crime bosses.

Further investigation is in progress, the police added.