JAIPUR: Panic gripped Rajasthan’s Kuchaman town on Tuesday morning after a well-known local businessman was shot dead by unidentified assailants while exercising in a gymnasium, police said. Reports suggests the killing may be linked to an extortion threat.
Ramesh Rulania (40) had allegedly been receiving threats from several criminal gangs in recent times. He had been under police protection earlier, but security cover was withdrawn just days ago.
According to police, Rulania left home around 6 am for his daily workout at a gym when the attackers ambushed him and opened fire. He died instantly on the spot.
“CCTV footage shows the suspect entering the premises moments before the shooting,” Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Nemi Chand Kharia told PTI. “Rulania was rushed to a nearby hospital by other gym members, where doctors declared him dead.”
Shortly after the murder, a man identifying himself as gangster Virendra Charan, an associate of Rohit Godara, claimed responsibility for the killing in a social media post.
Charan, believed to be operating from Portugal, wrote that Rulania had insulted their gang a year ago and refused to pay even Rs 100 in extortion. “Today, everyone will know that we don’t forget anyone. Anyone who ignores our calls should be prepared - everyone’s turn will come,” the post read.
It is also worth noting that Virendra Charan is accused of involvement in the murder of Karni Sena president Sukhdev Singh Gogamedhi. After that killing, both Charan and Godara reportedly fled to Portugal and have been running their gang’s operations from abroad.
However, the authenticity of the social media post is yet to be verified. Police sources also say that Rulania had received earlier threats from the Lawrence Bishnoi gang also, indicating the involvement of multiple criminal networks in this shocking incident.
A few days ago, members of the Godara gang allegedly warned Rulania of “dire consequences” if he failed to pay the extortion amount within a set deadline. The businessman reportedly refused, leading to his targeted killing. The masked shooters fled the scene immediately after the attack.
Police officials confirmed that Rulania had been under threat for several weeks. It is notable that at least five other traders in the area had received similar threats from the Godara and Charan gangs.
Meanwhile, the atmosphere in Kuchaman turned tense as Rulania’s family refused to accept the body, demanding an immediate arrest of those responsible. Hundreds of people gathered outside the Government District Hospital, threatening a sit-in protest.
“The police ignored earlier threats. We will not perform the last rites until the killers are arrested,” said Govind Seshma, president of the Kuchaman Private Association, announcing an indefinite strike by local traders. With the grieving family angry and traders outraged, an air of suspense and anger hangs over Kuchaman.
