CHANDIGARH, 20 April (H.S.):

In a major breakthrough amidst the ongoing drive to make Punjab a safe and secure state as per directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) Punjab, in a joint operation with District SAS Nagar Police, has busted a gangster module being operated by foreign-based gangsters with the arrest of four accused persons and recovered two foreign-made .30 caliber pistols along with eight live cartridges from their possession, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Monday.

Those arrested have been identified as Arman Singh, a resident of village Ugana in Patiala; Chirag, a resident of village Nalas Khurd in Patiala; Ravinder Singh alias Rahul, resident of village Nalas Kalan in Rajpura, Patiala; and Akshay alias Prince, a resident of village Dhamoli in Patiala. Apart from recovering pistols, police teams have also recoverd their sedan Honda Amaze car, in which they were travelling.

DGP Gaurav Yadav said that preliminary investigation has revealed that one of the arrested accused identified as Akshay alias Prince was involved in the July 2025 Murder case of a 'Wear Well' showroom owner in Abohar. The accused had provided logistical support to the main assailants, he said.

The DGP said that further investigation is underway to establish forward and backward linkages in this case. More arrests are expected in coming days, he added.

Sharing operational details, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) AGTF Promod Ban said that acting swiftly on a reliable input about the movement of four operatives of this module towards SAS Nagar on the Ambala-Chandigarh Highway, a special team consisting of AGTF and SAS Nagar Police officials was formed and special checkpoints/nakas were set-up at various points on the highway.

The ADGP said that the police team nabbed the suspects near Janetpur link road on the highway and recovered two foreign-made pistols along with ammunition from their possession.

Providing additional details, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) SAS Nagar Harmandeep Hans said that preliminary investigations have revealed that the arrested operatives were tasked by their foreign-based handlers to carry out major crimes in the state. “With these arrests serious crimes in the region have been averted,” said the SSP.

In this regard, a case FIR no 162, dated 18.04.2026 under sections 111 and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and sections 25(6) and 25(7)(i) of the Arms Act has been registered at Police Station Dera Bassi in SAS Nagar.

Hindusthan Samachar / GURSHARAN SINGH