Wrestler
Representative image of a wrestlerReuters

The Rohtak police on Monday night arrested gangster Rakesh Mokhriya, once a national gold medallist wrestler, in connection to the murder case of liquor contractor Balbir. Mokhriya from Haryana's Mokhra village was arrested by the anti-vehicle theft (AVT) team on charges of murdering Balbir last year.

He carried a reward of Rs 25,000 on his head, Hindustan Times reported.

The wrestler had killed Balbir in June last year following a fight over the liquor vend contract. Police got the lead about Mokhriya from a person who was arrested two days ago in the murder case. 

Rohtak Superintendent of Police (SP) Jashandeep Singh Randhawa told HT that after being tipped off about Mokhriya, the AVT staff caught him near Jhajjar bypass. They have also recovered a 30 bore pistol from him.

After his arrest, Mokhriya revealed that he had been hiding in Rajasthan after killing Balbir and was waiting for his gang leader Rohtash Kumar to come out of jail. According to reports, the accused had burnt the motorcycle which was used by them to carry out the murder plan. In Rohtash's absence, Mokhriya took charge of the gang.

Mokhriya used to represent Haryana in national wrestling tournaments. In 2003, he won a gold medal in a national championship and went on to won bronze medal at the National Games, which was held in Talkatora Stadium in Delhi in the same year.

But two years after winning medals, he became a criminal. In 2005, he killed Jaya Prakash, a resident of Jhajjar village, following which he was jailed for six years. He continued committing crimes after coming out of the jail and in 2017, he killed the liquor contractor.