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Lucknow: Four alleged sharpshooters of Ezaz Lakadwala gang, who were in Uttar Pradesh to arrange weapons to "eliminate" singer Himesh Reshammiya and director-producer Raj Kumar Santoshi, were today arrested by the Special Task Force of police from Barabanki, a senior official said.

Acting on a tip-off, the STF nabbed Anis Radiowala, Namdev, Rahim Khan and Ishrat Warsi when they reached a school on Dewa road in Barabanki district to collect weapons, Director General of Police Vikram Singh told reporters here.

During interrogation by the STF, Radiowala claimed that Lakadwala, who had reportedly taken a "contract" to kill the two Bollywood personalities, also tried to get one of his men selected in TV music talent show "Sa Re Ga Ma Pa" to shoot Reshammiya but he was disqualified in the initial rounds.

Radiowala, however, did not reveal the name of the contestant, Singh said adding, interrogation of the arrested men was going on and details of who gave the "contract" and the reason for targeting the two were yet to be known.

Singh said Radiowala was a close confidant of Lakadwala, who had worked for Dawood Ibrahim, Chhota Rajan and Abu Salem and was now running a separate gang from Australia and New Zealand.

Two revolvers and two pistols were recovered from their possession, Singh said adding, Radiowala had confessed that he used to work for Lakadwala and collect money on his behalf.

Singh said the four were also planning to kidnap a gutkha businessman from the state capital but did not elaborate. Radiowala was working on the rolls of Lakadwala, who used to pay him Rs 25-30,000 per month and extra amount for every work executed from him, the DGP said.

More on: Himesh Reshammiya, Raj Kumar Santoshi, UP gangsters