Three Ravi Pujari shooters held with firearms

Three suspected shooters from the Ravi Pujari gang were arrested by the Anti-Extortion Cell (AEC) of the city crime branch on Thursday for planning to bump off three persons including the son of a known politician from Ulhasnagar.

Police sources said others on the hit list were two builders from Dombivli and Thakurli.

The arrested trio has been identified as Abhishek Salvi, 24, resident of Kalyan (E), Aniket Jadhav, 21, resident of Vashind, and Bharat Ved, 23, resident of Borivli (E).

According to additional commissioner of police Rajvardhan Sinha, the trio was arrested from Mangatram petrol pump in Bhandup (W) after receipt of specific information. The police seized two 7.65-bore pistols and 12 live rounds from them.

"These persons were entrusted by their bosses to terrorise people in Thane by carrying out firings. All the arrested accused have previous criminal records," said senior inspector Vinayak Vast.

The police are trying to ascertain the source of the weapons.

The trio were produced before court on Friday and remanded in police custody till March 19.