SHAMLI: CCTV footage showing two men involved in the murder of Haryanvi singer Ankit Baliyan checking into a hotel barely 1.5km from the crime scene on August 20 has emerged as a key lead in the investigation, officials said.The footage shows the two suspected shooters arriving on a motorbike and enter Hotel Surya in the area. The video purportedly shows one of them making payment in cash at the hotel reception while the other looks on.Police suspect the stay formed part of a larger plan to track Ankit Baliyan and execute the attack.According to the investigation, the two suspects stayed at the hotel for two days and submitted their identity cards and PAN details at the time of check-in.Police said that the duo had also allegedly brought a GPS device with them, which investigators suspect was intended to be fitted in a vehicle to track movements.However, the police said, the device could not be installed.Investigators believe the accused were able to monitor Ankit Baliyan’s movements through his regular visits to the gym and his social media updates.According to police, members and supporters of the Gogi gang allegedly believed that Ankit Baliyan’s appearance in a song had brought disrepute to the gang.The investigation has also revealed that the gang had allegedly been trying to locate a target earlier and had threatened him, but he remained cautious, reduced his movement and stayed out of sight for several months.According to investigators, the two accused seen at the hotel later joined two other shooters on August 26.Police said Bholu Sapuria allegedly supplied the weapons to the group on the day of the murder. Two youths reportedly arrived from the Karnal side and two from Sonipat before the group carried out the attack.Ankit Baliyan was shot dead outside a gym in Shamli on August 26. Police had earlier said four assailants opened fire on him before fleeing the spot.Nine bullets, including .30 and .32 calibre rounds, were recovered from the crime scene, according to the investigation. Police believe the recovered weapons may have been used in the murder, although a forensic examination is required to establish a match.The latest leads follow Monday’s encounter in which two accused, Sumit and Mohit, were killed by police in Shamli.The duo, both allegedly linked to the Gogi gang and residents of Sonipat, had rewards of Rs 50,000 each on their heads, police said.According to officials, the two had fled towards Loni via Baghpat after the murder and were intercepted while attempting to travel towards Sonipat through Shamli’s industrial area.Police said the accused opened fire on the police team, prompting retaliatory firing. Both were injured and later declared dead at a hospital. Two policemen were also injured in the exchange.With Sumit and Mohit killed, police teams are continuing the search for the remaining accused, Satyam and Aryan.Investigators are examining CCTV footage, hotel records, social media activity and other evidence to establish the sequence of events and identify everyone involved in the murder.
