Before and after photos of gangster Rohit Godara's Bikaner residence, reportedly demolished by 'unknown persons'. (Source: Express Photo)A “significant” portion of gangster Rohit Godara’s ancestral home in Bikaner’s Loonkaransar was demolished by “unknown persons”, Rajasthan Police said on Tuesday.No one was present at the home when the incident took place overnight, they said.Loonkaransar Circle Officer (CO) Ranveer Singh told The Indian Express on Tuesday, “We got information at the local police station at around 9 am today. The Station House Officer (SHO) himself went to the spot and, looking at the damage, it seemed that it had been carried out with a JCB machine. A significant portion has been damaged.”He said that the local residents claimed they had no knowledge of how and when the action was carried out, because “the dhanis (hutments) are far away from each other”.“They (locals) also said that the noise may have been drowned out by the noise made by air coolers,” the officer said.According to the CO, police are analysing CCTV footage and other evidence to find and track the people behind the razing.Rohit Godara’s parents, Sant Das and Gita, as well brother, Hanuman Swami, and Hanuman’s wife and children, used to live in the house. However, none of them were there at the time of the demolition.Story continues below this adOfficials said Godara’s parents and brother are currently lodged in jail in different extortion cases. While Hanuman was arrested in connection with an extortion case in Sri Ganganagar, his parents were allegedly involved in another case in Ratangarh in Churu. Rohit Godara is said to be currently absconding in Azerbaijan.Police said that Hanuman’s wife had left the home around “10-12 days” ago with her children, asking neighbours to take care of the crops in their absence.“No report has been received yet. We will take further action once we get a report,” the CO said.Last week, Rohit Godara’s name had figured in “Operation Hardball”, the coordinated action against Indian crime syndicates by law enforcement from the US, Canada and Europe, leading to the arrest of 24 people connected to a series of crimes, including Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s assassination, as per the US Department of Justice.Story continues below this adThe US DoJ said Godara had been designated as the European leader of the “Lawrence Bishnoi enterprise”.Hamza Khan is a seasoned Correspondent for The Indian Express, specifically reporting from the diverse and politically dynamic state of Rajasthan. Based in Jaipur, he provides high-authority coverage on the state's governance, legal landscape, and social issues, directly supporting the "Journalism of Courage" ethos of the publication. Expertise Politics & Governance: Comprehensive tracking of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly, including policy changes (e.g., the Right to Health Bill and Anti-Mob Lynching Bills), bypoll dynamics, and the shifting power structures between the BJP and Congress. ... Read More