— ARRESTED ACCUSED WERE ALLEGEDLY INVOLVED IN MORE THAN 15 CRIMINAL CASES, INCLUDING FIRING INCIDENTS LINKED TO EXTORTION: DGP GAURAV YADAV
— ARRESTS FOLLOW SUSTAINED INTERROGATION OF GANGSTER GURWINDER SINGH ALIAS AFRIDI DEPORTED FROM ETHIOPIA ON NOVEMBER 8: SPL DGP PROMOD BAN
CHANDIGARH/TARN TARAN, November 15:
In a major follow-up to the successful deportation of wanted gangster Gurwinder Singh alias Afridi from Ethiopia amidst the intensified drive against organized crime launched as per the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) Punjab, in a joint operation with Tarn Taran Police, has apprehended five key operatives of the organised criminal network and recovered 11 illegal pistols along with 191 live cartridges from their possession, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Sunday.
Those arrested have been identified as Ajaypal Singh, a resident of Gandiwind, Tarn Taran; Jaswinder Singh alias Munsi, a resident of Talwandi Sobha Singh in Tarn Taran; Karanveer alias Karan, a resident of village Kale Ke in Tarn Taran; Ranjit Rana, a resident of village Bhojoke in Tarn Taran; and Ranjit Singh alias Rana, a resident of village Ruknewala in Ferozepur.
The recovered cache comprises five 9MM pistols, five .30-bore pistols, and one .32-bore pistol.
The development came following the deportation of gangster Gurwinder Singh alias Afridi from Ethiopia on November 8, 2026, sustained custodial interrogation led to crucial disclosures regarding the identities and operational roles of several operatives actively running his syndicate in Punjab.
DGP Gaurav Yadav said that preliminary investigation has revealed that the arrested accused were allegedly involved in more than 15 criminal cases, including firing incidents linked to extortion. They were also allegedly involved in cross-border arms smuggling at the behest of foreign-based handlers, who tasked them with carrying out serious criminal activities in Punjab, he said.
The DGP said that further investigation is underway to establish complete backward and forward linkages in this case to identify other associates and dismantle the wider criminal network.
Sharing operational details, Special Director General of Police (Special DGP) AGTF Promod Ban said that immediately after bringing gangster Gurwinder Singh alias Afridi back to India on November 8, a specialized investigation was launched to dismantle his entire criminal ecosystem and map out its backward and forward linkages.
Based on the Afridi’s disclosures, AGTF Punjab, in close coordination with Tarn Taran Police, undertook an intelligence-led investigation to identify the shooters and their logistical supporters, establish their individual roles and trace the illegal weapons being used by them, said the Special DGP, while adding that subsequent intelligence development enabled police teams to pinpoint and nab these five operatives, who were acting as shooters and providing logistical backing for executing extortion-linked firing incidents on the directions of foreign-based handlers.
