3 arrested in arms smuggling case

The Jalandhar Rural Police arrested three individuals in two separate operations and seized three illegal pistols along with five cartridges. This crackdown was part of the ongoing efforts to curb illegal arms smuggling and prevent violent crimes in the district. SSP, Jalandhar Rural, Harkamal Preet Singh Khakh, said here on Friday that acting on the precise intelligence, police teams intercepted suspects in Lambra and Kartarpur jurisdictions, foiling a planned crime in the Lambra area.

Khakh said the police teams apprehended suspects during two separate raids. The arrested individuals have been identified as Gagan Gill, alias Gagana, a notorious history-sheeter from Maldi village, who is currently on bail in the high-profile Timmy Chawla double murder case; Sandeep Singh, alias Shipa, also from Maldi, involved in organised extortion activities and Vishal Singh, alias Bomb, originally from Nakodar City and now residing in Bhogpur, associated with several criminal acts.

The operation was carried out under the supervision of SP, Investigation, Jasroop Kaur Bath and DSP, Investigation, Sarwanjit Singh and CIA staff police teams led by Inspector Pushp Bali.

The SSP further revealed that Gagan was being handled by an overseas mastermind Amandeep Purewal, operating from America, who directed extortion and criminal activities in Punjab.

The police have recovered a .30 bore pistol with two cartridges from Gagan, one .315 bore pistol with one cartridge from Sandeep, and one .32 bore pistol with two cartridges from Vishal Singh.

The police have registered two cases under the Arms Act.

SSP Khakh said preliminary investigations had uncovered a deep nexus between Gagan and his foreign handler, exposing a larger arms smuggling and extortion network with international roots. Further interrogation is ongoing to identify links in this case.

He said, “This operation has not only averted a planned violent crime but also struck a significant blow to illegal arms trafficking networks and organised crime in the region,” said SSP Khakh.