5 gangsters in police net

Aman Sood

Tribune News Service

Patiala, October 8

The role of senior police officers posted in nearby districts is under the scanner for holding a “secret” meeting with some gangsters, who have now been arrested by the Patiala police. These officers allegedly tried to urge them to surrender.

One of the arrested gangsters, Abdul Rashid alias Ghaddu, is the one whom the Sangrur police allegedly mistook as an occupant of a white car on August 19. The police had instead shot two innocent brothers, following which nine policemen of the Crime Investigating Agency (CIA) team were shifted to the Police Lines.

Earlier today, Patiala Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Gurmeet Chauhan said a team led by CIA in charge Bikramjit Singh Brar arrested Rashid, a proclaimed offender in many crimes for the past three years, along with Gagandeep, Mohammad Irfan, Kulwant Singh, and Pardeep Kumar from near Rajpura. Avarjit Singh Babu managed to escape. “This gang was very active in Patiala, Samana, Malerkotla, Sangrur, Barnala, Ludhiana and Mohali. They had opened fire at police nakas many times and were active in crimes such as murder, robbery and ransom,” he said.

A senior officer said a noted gangster, Kala Dhanaula, was the prime target of this gang as it wanted to avenge the murder of a fellow gang member’s relative. Highly placed sources within the police department confirmed that a secret meeting of two of these gang members with some senior police officers was held in Rajpura, following the controversy over the firing at two brothers in Sangrur. “Senior officers, instead of arresting these gangsters, let them go away. Some indirect phone calls between these officers and arrested gang members are being scrutinised,” said a source, adding that the intelligence wing has been informed about the incident.

While the Patiala SSP has said they would comment after a thorough probe, Patiala Range DIG Balkar Singh Sidhu had assured that he would look into the matter. “No police officer can allow such gangsters to get away and hold a meeting. I will look into the facts,” he stated.