Chandigarh:

Punjab Police on Friday said they have busted one of the biggest interstate drug smuggling syndicates operating from Jharkhand and arrested two men besides seizing 66 kg of opium.

The opium was concealed in a specially designed and fabricated compartment fitted underneath a Maruti Swift car, said Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav.

Those arrested have been identified as Sukhyad Singh and Jagraj Singh. Apart from recovering the big haul of opium, police teams have also recovered Rs 40,000 in drug money, and 400 grams of gold from their possession.

DGP Yadav said further financial investigation has resulted in unearthing 42 bank accounts, which were being used for financial transactions by the organised opium syndicate. “Following a financial trail in less than 24 hours, the Fazilka Police has frozen all the 42 bank accounts with Rs 1.86 crore of drug proceeds,” he said.

The DGP said the Fazilka Police has also initiated the process of property forfeiture under 68F of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

Sharing operation details, Senior Superintendent of Police (Fazilka) Pragya Jain said they had received inputs about the accused transporting opium from Jharkhand and then returning to Dalmir Khera in Punjab via Rajasthan’s Sri Ganganagar in the swift car.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Chandigarh:

Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said Tuesday a terror module operating in the state has been busted with the arrest of four of its members, including a key operative.

The module was being operated by mastermind Iqbalpreet Singh alias Buchi, who lives abroad, Gaurav Yadav said, identifying the key operative as Gurwinder Singh alias Shera.

In a statement, the DGP said that the Punjab Police’s Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) arrested all four at Liberty Chowk in Rajpura.

In a major breakthrough, #AGTF, Punjab has busted a module operated by foreign-based terrorist mastermind Iqbalpreet Singh @ Buchi, a close associate of Ramandeep Bagga @ Canadian who is lodged in Tihar Jail under UAPA charges in case of targeted killings in Punjab in 2016-2017… pic.twitter.com/lhObKssOGs

— DGP Punjab Police (@DGPPunjabPolice) May 14, 2024

Acting on reliable inputs, AGTF teams under the supervision of Additional Director General of Police Promod Ban set up a check post at Liberty Chowk where teams led by Assistant Inspector General Gurmeet Singh Chauhan and Deputy Superintendent of Police Bikramjit Singh Brar made the arrest, according to the statement.

Gaurav Yadav said Shera revealed during interrogation that Buchi had brought the gang together with plans to commit crimes in Punjab to disturb peace and harmony.

Three pistols and 13 live cartridges were found in the possession of those arrested and the car they were travelling in was impounded, he said.

Shera was out on bail after being arrested by the AGTF in 2022 for allegedly conspiring to commit target killings on Buchi’s directions, the statement said.

The three others were identified as Gurpreet Singh of Patiala, Ranjit Singh alias Sonu and Jagjit Singh alias Jashan of Patti, both residents of Patti in Tarn Taran.

Buchi was in touch with murdered Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar and is also a close associate of Ramandeep Bagga alias Canadian, who was the main shooter in seven targeted killings in 2016-2017, police said.

Ramandeep Bagga faces 11 criminal cases under murder, attempt to murder, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Arms Act charges. He is lodged in Tihar Jail.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Kapurthala, Punjab:

 Hours after returning home from Italy, an NRI man allegedly killed his wife by repeatedly thrashing her head on the floor of their house in a village here, police said on Tuesday.

Kapurthala Senior Superintendent of Police Vatsala Gupta said the non-resident Indian identified as Sukhdev Singh returned to his house in Sandhu Chatha village from Italy on Monday.

On the same day, he had a heated argument with his wife Harpreet Kaur (45) over some issue, the SSP said.

Singh dragged Kaur to his room and allegedly thrashed her head repeatedly on the floor, killing her on the spot, he added.

The police said a case has been registered against the absconding accused and efforts are on to nab him.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Chandigarh:

In a joint operation with central agencies, the Punjab Police thwarted a possible terrorist attack in the border state by busting a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)-backed module and arresting two operatives, a top officials said on Saturday.

Police also recovered from their possession two Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), as many hand grenades, one .30 bore pistol with two magazines and 24 cartridges, eight detonators, one timer switch and four batteries.

Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said the terror module is being handled by Firdaus Ahmed Bhat, an active Lashkar-e-Taiba member.

Those arrested have been identified as Uzair Ul Haq of Rahpora Khudwani in Jammu and Kashmir and Raj Mohammad Andleeb of Kherwan, also in Jammu and Kashmir.

Police chief Gaurav Yadav said the operation was launched following intelligence that the Punjab border is being used by the LeT for smuggling a huge consignment of arms and explosives and their two members are expected to retrieve the cache in the area of Kathu Nangal.

Great success by #PunjabPolice in war against #Terrorism

2 operatives of LeT have been arrested by SSOC, Amritsar with the support of central agency. @PunjabPoliceInd striving to make #Punjab secure & safe as per vision of CM @BhagwantMannpic.twitter.com/DI2f3qKk1R

— DGP Punjab Police (@DGPPunjabPolice) October 14, 2023

Police’s state special operation cell (SSOC) wing of Amritsar and central agencies launched the operation and arrested the two persons with the weapon consignment, Gaurav Yadav said.

He said preliminary investigations revealed that the accused were recruited in a terror organisation by Firdaus Ahmed Bhat and the terror outfit was planning to use them to target prominent personalities and places of strategic importance in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab to disturb the peace and harmony of the country.

The DGP said both the arrested persons were in constant touch with Firdaus Ahmed Bhat via various social media platforms. On Thursday, Firdaus Ahmed Bhat sent them to Amritsar to collect the consignment of weapons and bring them to the Kashmir valley, according to the police officer.

Assistant Inspector General, SSOC Amritsar, Sukhminder Singh Mann said it was also revealed that Uzair Ul Haq, a relative of Firdaus Ahmed Bhat, was earlier arrested in two cases pertaining to stone pelting in the Kulgam district.

Raj Mohammad Andleeb has no previous criminal record, he added.

Further investigations are being carried out to unearth the entire terror network of LeT, he said, adding efforts are also being made to detect the source of consignment.

A case under relevant sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), section 25 of the Arms Act, sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Explosives Act and sections 109, 115 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered in Amritsar.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Chandigarh:

Punjab Police’s State Special Operation Cell (SSOC) on Tuesday busted an extortion racket backed by gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, with the arrest of its two key operatives.

Two .32 bore pistols along with two live cartridges from their possession, said police.

The arrested have been identified as Tarlochan Singh alias Rahul Cheema of Sector 26 in Chandigarh and Harish alias Harry alias Baba village Bupania in district Jhajjar, Haryana.

AIG SSOC SAS Nagar Ashwani Kapur said, “They have received intel-based inputs that some members of Lawrence Bishnoi gang are making threatening calls to extort businessmen and influential persons of Punjab and adjoining states, and are also planning to execute target killing in the area.”

He further said, “Acting swiftly, Police teams from SSOC SAS Nagar arrested accused Tarlochan Singh after recovering one pistol along with two live cartridges on Monday, followed by, the arrest of accused Harish alias Harry with one pistol on Tuesday. “

The Additional Inspector General, Ashwani Kapur, said “Preliminary investigations have revealed that both the arrested persons wanted to get fame and had made profiles on different social media platforms where they used to flaunt arms and ammunition to lure the youth and radicalise them to work for the gang. Accused persons used to offer high-profile lifestyles to innocent youth by promising them a good amount of money in return, he said.

He said that SSOC has procured three days of Police remand of both the accused persons after producing them in the local court and further investigations are on to track down and apprehend other members of the module.

A case FIR no 16 on September 11 has been registered under sections 25, 25(6) and 25(7) of the Arms Act and sections 384 and 120B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at Police Station SSOC Mohali.

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Actor Sonu Sood has taken a strong stand against drugs abuse in Punjab. In a video released by the Director General of Punjab Police on X (formerly known as Twitter), the actor urges everyone to help in eradicating drugs abuse from the state.

“Punjab has always been known for its spirited youth. But for quite some time now, I have been observing that people say use of drugs has increased in Punjab. The new generation, our youth, seems to be greatly affected by drugs. Even when I personally visit Moga or various parts of Punjab, I see that many people, especially the youth, are trapped in drug addiction. Due to drugs, crime has increased as they need money to buy it,” Mr Sood says in the video.

He recalls he once ran a campaign to rescue around 280 children who were under the influence of drugs. He says he had also tried to support them in returning to a drug-free life.

“But back then, we [Sonu Sood and his team] couldn’t reach a lot of people who needed help. To help them, the Punjab government, our honourable Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann bhaji (brother), and our DGP Yadav ji have taken an excellent initiative. Their efforts to make Punjab drug-free have been remarkable. I urge everyone to support this cause. Let’s unite and make Punjab a drug-free state. This can only happen when we all come together and support this campaign,” he continues.

“Let’s work together to make Punjab drug-free, and let the land of Punjab be known once again for its youth. I salute the efforts of the Punjab government and the entire police force for their dedication. Keep this initiative going, and together, we will bring Punjab back to the top,” he adds.

The text attached to the clip read, “Thank you, Sonu Sood, for the motivational message. Punjab Police is working tirelessly to break the backbone of drugs. Very soon our collective efforts will help eradicate drugs from Punjab under the vision of chief minister Bhagwant Mann.”

Thank you @SonuSood for the motivational message. @PunjabPoliceInd is working tirelessly to break the backbone of drugs.

Very soon our collective efforts will help eradicate drugs from #Punjab under the vision of CM @BhagwantMann#PunjabFightsDrugspic.twitter.com/SRc7EmdGR6

— DGP Punjab Police (@DGPPunjabPolice) September 3, 2023

Last month, Punjab Police seized 77 kg of heroin from four people allegedly involved in a trans-border drug smuggling racket.

Chandigarh:

The Punjab Police has busted a major drug cartel being operated from inside a jail with the arrest of seven alleged drug smugglers and recovery of 15 kilograms of heroin from them, an official said on Saturday.

The mastermind Jaspreet Singh alias Kali of Moga, who is currently lodged in the Faridkot Jail, was in touch with Pakistan-based drug smugglers and ran the cartel from the prison, Punjab Police DGP Gaurav Yadav said.

The arrested persons have been identified as Gurpinder Singh alias Bhinda, Narinder Singh and Ranjodh Singh alias Jodha — the residents of Haruwal village in Gurdaspur — and Rajdeep Singh, Ram Singh, Jaspal Singh and Rajwinder Kaur, the residents of Ferozepur, police said.

The state police chief said the counter-intelligence team in Amritsar had received reliable input that Gurpinder, Narinder and Ranjodh had recently retrieved a heroin consignment from the Haruwal village that was sent by Pakistan-based smugglers using drones.

The consignment was expected to be delivered to someone in Amritsar, the DGP added.

Acting on the information, the operation team of the counter-intelligence arrested the trio from Gurdaspur’s Haruwal area and seized 15 kg heroin from their possession, said Mr Yadav.

A total of Rs 7 lakh cash and two cars were also recovered from them, he added.

The consignment was delivered from across the Indo-Pak border in six sorties, each carrying a packet of 2.5 kg heroin, he added.

“The investigations have revealed that the mastermind Jaspreet Singh alias Kali of Moga, who is currently lodged in the Faridkot Jail, was in touch with Pakistan-based drug smugglers via WhatsApp and managing this drug cartel from the jail,” said the DGP, adding the police will soon bring him on production warrant for further investigation.

Police said Gurpinder, one of the accused, revealed during interrogation that Jaspreet was expected to send someone to collect the heroin consignment from a parking lot near the Town Hall in Amritsar.

Acting on this information, the police arrested the remaining four accused who came to pick up the consignment, they added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)