Extortion gangsters involved in firing outside Nakodar trader's office arrested after police encounter
Accused had been demanding Rs 5 crore from the trader
The Nakodar police in Jalandhar successfully foiled a planned firing incident by apprehending two accused involved in an extortion and firing case linked to threats from gang members abroad.
The accused have been identified as Ankit Kumar — a resident of Bilolbaz village, Sitamarhi district, Bihar; who is presently residing in Basti Jodhewali, Ludhiana — and Harinder Gupta — a resident of Gorakhpur district in Uttar Pradesh who is presently living at Jagat Nagar, Basti Jodhewali, Ludhiana.
On November 11, 2025, the complainant in the case, Manish Bakshi, a Nakodar-based travel company proprietor, allegedly received threatening calls from foreign mobile numbers. The callers claimed to be members of the Goldy Brar and Rohit Godhra gang and demanded Rs 5 crore as extortion money. In this regard, FIR No. 137, dated November 14, under Sections 308(5) and 352(3) of the BNS was registered at Nakodar police station.
Manish, a proprietor of Bakshi Travel Company and BB School of IELTS, has been running the business for 16-17 years.
Subsequently, on the intervening night of January 16 and 17, 2026, shots were fired outside his office over “non-payment of money”. The complainant received further threatening messages from foreign numbers.
An FIR No. 13, dated January 18, 2026, was then registered under Sections 308(5), 351(2), 125, 61(2), 3(5) of the BNS and Sections 25/27 of the Arms Act at the police station.
Special police teams were constituted under the directions of SSP, Jalandhar Rural, S. Harvinder Singh Virk. The operation was supervised by DSP Onkar Singh Brar and DSP Inderjit Singh Saini, with active participation from Inspector CIA Pushap Bali, SI Harminder Singh, SHO, Police Station City Nakodar, and SI Dilbagh Singh, SHO. Officers of the AGTF also worked in close coordination during the operation.
A police party planned an ambush and naka on the link road leading from Bir village phatak on Nurmahal Road towards Sarkapur village, after Harminder Singh, SHO, Police Station City Nakodar, came to know that the accused involved in the firing case were roaming in the area.
Two suspects riding a motorcycle were signalled to stop, but they opened fire at the police party. In self-defence, the police party retaliated.
During the encounter, accused Ankit Kumar sustained a gunshot injury, and
accused Harinder Gupta sustained a fracture in his leg.
Both accused were overpowered, taken into custody, and taken to hospital for medical treatment under police supervision.
The police recovered one .30 bore pistol along with three live cartridges from their possession.
The police said both accused were already named in the above FIRs and were again attempting to target the complainant due to his refusal to pay the extortion amount.
Further investigation is in progress.
