Chandigarh, Jun 5 (IANS): Punjab Police on Sunday said it has arrested five more persons, including two shooters, in connection with the high-profile murder case of international kabaddi player Sandeep Singh, taking the total arrests to nine.

Senior Superintendent of Police, Jalandhar Rural, Swapan Sharma said those arrested have been identified as Harwinder Singh of Bulandshahr (Uttar Pradesh), Vikas Malhe of Gurugram, Sachin Dhaulia of Alwar (Rajasthan), Manjot Kaur of Sangrur (Punjab), and Yadwinder Singh of Pilibhit (Uttar Pradesh).

The police have recovered seven pistols, including five foreign-made .30 bore pistols and two .315 country-made pistols, and three vehicles from their possession.

Sandeep Singh was shot dead during a match in Mallian village in Jalandhar district on March 14.

The SSP said Harwinder Singh was the main coordinator in the killing, who also provided logistics support.

He said Malhe, who was nabbed from Haryana's Faridabad, was the main shooter. During investigation, he confessed his role in two murder cases in Punjab, which were previously not known to the police.

Sharma said Dhaulia and Manjot Kaur were arrested for harbouring members of Kaushal-Daggar gang and providing them safe passage.

In the last three weeks, police have identified and raided 18 locations used as hideouts by this gang and nominated several persons in this case, he added.

The SSP said the fifth accused, Yadwinder Singh, who is a close associate of Jujhar Singh, was working as a mediator among gang members.