Amritsar police arrest Jaggu Bhagwanpuria’s close aide

The Amritsar police have arrested Nav Pandori, a close associate of A-category gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria currently, who is currently lodged in Silchar Jail in Assam under the PIT-NDPS Act (Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act) by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).

Terming it a significant arrest, police officials said a pistol was recovered from Pandori’s possession. He was supposed to get the delivery of a recent consignment of sophisticated and deadly weapons, including an AK 308 Saiga rifle, that was smuggled from Pakistan via drone and seized from two individuals last week.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Maninder Singh has confirmed Pandori’s arrest.

Apart from one AK 308 Saiga rifle with two magazines, the special cell of Amritsar (Rural) police had confiscated two 9mm Glock pistols with four magazines, 90 live cartridges of AK rifle, 10 live cartridges (9mm) and Rs 7.50 lakh in drug money, an I-20 car and three mobile phones from two individuals identified as Gora and Joban.

Police noted that this was the first known case involving the smuggling of such a long-range, military-grade assault rifle of this type from Pakistan, leaving the Punjab Police alarmed.

Following the seizure, Pandori had gone into hiding.

Pandori was currently on police remand and further probe was in progress, said the police.

Since the brutal killings of Jaggu Bhagwanpuria’s mother, Harjit Kaur, and his cousin, Karavir Singh, on June 26, allegedly by armed assailants and operatives of Bambiha gang, Bhagwanpuria had allegedly got a number of sophisticated weapons smuggled from Pakistan.

There has been a fear of a potential escalation of gang wars between Bhagwanpuria and Bambiha gang and therefore, Punjab Police have been on alert.

Bhagwanpuria, also an accused in the killing of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala, has over 100 criminal cases of different nature at various police stations in Punjab and other states.

The PIT-NDPS Act pertains to the detention of persons involved in any manner with illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances for one or two years to prevent them from engaging in such harmful activities.