RUDRAPUR: The Uttarakhand Special Task Force (STF) has arrested a Rs 25,000 reward-carrying interstate shooter, Rinku Sharma alias Pandit, in connection with the 2020 murder of Rudrapur councillor Prakash Singh Dhami.The case dates back to Oct 12, 2020, when Dhami, a BJP-supported councilor from Bhadaipura ward, was shot dead outside his residence in broad daylight. According to investigators, the assailants arrived in a car, lured him out of his house and opened indiscriminate fire at close range. Despite attempting to escape, he succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds. The incident, captured on CCTV, had triggered widespread outrage.The probe later revealed that the murder stemmed from political rivalry and a battle for local dominance. Professional shooters from outside the state were allegedly hired for nearly Rs 4 lakh to carry out the killing. Police had earlier arrested six of the seven accused, while Sharma had been absconding since the incident.Senior superintendent of police (STF) Ajay Singh said, “The accused had been evading arrest by frequently changing locations. Our teams used technical surveillance and human intelligence to track him.”He added, “Acting on specific input, the accused was arrested from Rudrapur after a coordinated operation. He is a habitual offender with multiple cases of murder, attempt to murder, robbery and extortion registered across states. Further legal proceedings are underway.”
