3 arms smugglers linked to Preet Phagwara gang held

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Jalandhar, October 12

The special operation unit-cum-anti narcotics staff of the city police on Wednesday arrested three members of Preet Phagwara gang, who were actively involved in smuggling of weapons across Punjab. The police seized a huge cache of arms and ammunition, including, five .32 bore pistols, five magazines, one .32 bore revolver, 32 live cartridges and six country-made illegal pistols from their possessions.

The accused have been identified as Seth Lal, alias Sethi, a resident of New Abadpura, Rajpal, alias Paali, a resident of Ravidas Colony in Rama Mandi, Rajesh Kumar, alias Raja, a resident of Rama Mandi and the kingpin of the gang Rajneesh Kumar, alias Preet Phagwara, a resident of Daddal Mohalla, Phagwara, Kapurthala district.

Arrest to uncover supply chain

The arrest of these criminals has come as a big achievement as it would help uncover the active supply chain of arms and ammunition in the city. —Jaskiranjit Singh Teja, DCP (Investigation)

Addressing mediapersons, Commissioner of Police Gursharan Singh Sandhu said following a tip-off, a police party led by anti-narcotics staff incharge Inderjit Singh, laid a naka near Y-point Bhagat Singh Colony, and succeeded in arresting the accused. He said those arrested had bought the arms and ammunition on the directions of Preet Phagwara and before they could deliver the consignment, they were nabbed by the police. He said the kingpin of the gang, Preet Phagwara, was already under police custody in the central jail of Malerkotla. “The police will bring him on a production warrant to Jalandhar for further investigation in the case,” he added.

DCP (Investigation) Jaskiranjit Singh Teja said the arrest of these criminals had come as a big achievement for the city police as it would help uncover the active supply chain of arms and ammunition in the city. He said Preet Phagwara was an aide of gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria and was involved in numerous cases of murder, robbery, drug smuggling, etc, in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Chandigarh and several others states.

“As many as 19 cases under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, Arms Act, NDPS Act, Prison Act had been already registered against Preet Phagwara in different districts of Punjab. His gang members were wanted by the city police, both Rajesh and Rajpal had two cases each registered against them in the Rama Mandi police station under various sections of the IPC and NDPS Act,” DCP Teja said.

He further added a fresh case under Sections 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act had been registered against the four accused at the police station Division Number 1. “The accused after being produced in a local court have been taken in remand to identify their links, and to find out how they got the weapons and to whom they were going to deliver,” he added.

Bhagwanpuria’s aide

Preet Phagwara, an aide of gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, is involved in numerous cases of murder, robbery, drug smuggling, etc, in Punjab and several others states.