Fearing arrest, gangster’s aides go underground

Nikhil Bhardwaj

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, February 24

Around a dozen aides of gangster Rajinder Singh alias Lovely Lamba have gone underground. Sources said the whereabouts of several of them have been traced to Rajasthan and the police have put them on radar to chase them.

On February 19, the supporters of Lamba had unleashed panic in Clock Tower area after his arrest in extortion case. His aides resorted to hooliganism and vandalised some shops on his (Lamba’s) provocation. Some women commuters were also reportedly harassed by the aides of Lamba. 

Lamba has been facing as many as 21 criminal cases,  including three of murder, three attempt to murder and rest of robbery, theft, gambling and under the Arms Act among other cases. He is considered a blue-eyed man of some prominent politicians in the city. He was not facing arrest in most of the cases, as no police official dared to arrest him due to the pressure of leaders. His arrest became possible as the election code of conduct helped the police in acting freely without any political interference against such elements.

Dr Sachin Gupta, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), North, told Ludhiana Tribune that so far, seven persons — Jaswinder Pal, Davinder, Manjit Singh, Daljit Pal, Harpreet and Shamim alias Bunty and gangster Lamba, too, were arrested by the police, while around a dozen of his aides, who unleashed panic after Lamba’s arrest were also identified. 

The police were conducting regular raids at their whereabouts and they seemed to have gone underground. “We have traced the hideouts of some of his aides, who are said to be hiding in the other districts of Punjab and even in neighbouring states. Our teams are on the job and no gangster will be spared,” ACP Sachin said.

In for more trouble as unreported cases likely to be reported now

A senior police official said 21 criminal cases against Lamba are just a tip of the ice berg. During further probe, alarming facts about Lamba have came to fore. “Some crimes committed by Lamba were not even reported to the police by victims fearing his clout in politics and the Police Department. Now, some victims have started contacting the police officials for justice and if they start moving any official complaint, Lamba will have to face more cases,” he said.