Gangster Happy Baba arrested, automatic pistol, ammo seized

Jalandhar, February 3

Claiming to have averted planned target killings in the state, the Punjab Police arrested Harpreet Singh, alias Happy Baba, a resident of Aladinpur village in Tarn Taran, on Friday.

Happy Baba is facing several criminal cases pertaining to murder and attempt to murder. Police teams also recovered one .30 bore automatic pistol along with a magazine and three live cartridges from his possession.

The police claim that the arrested accused was an operative of the most-wanted gangster Harpreet Singh, alias Happy Jatt, a resident of Jandiala, who was hatching a conspiracy to execute target killings to disturb peace and communal harmony in the border state of Punjab. Jatt had assigned this task to Happy Baba in lieu of huge amount.

Happy Baba is also learnt to be one of the biggest weapon suppliers in Punjab. He is closely associated with weapon suppliers of Madhya Pradesh.

The development came 25 days after the Jalandhar Counter Intelligence arrested Vikramjit Singh, alias Vicky Bhatti, a resident of Nanaksar Mohalla in Tarn Taran, and recovered two pistols along with ammunition from his possession.

Navjot Singh Mahal, AIG, Counter Intelligence, Jalandhar, said during questioning of Vicky Bhatti, it came to light that Happy Jatt had assigned target killings in the state to Happy Baba. Acting swiftly, police teams arrested Happy Baba, he said.

The AIG said during questioning, Happy Baba confessed to his involvement in smuggling of illegal weapons from Madhya Pradesh since 2020-21. He sold at least 100 illegal weapons in Tarn Taran and Amritsar districts. Further investigations were on, the AIG said. An FIR No. 57 had been registered under Sections 25 and 25 (8) of the Arms Act at the State Special Operations Cell (SSOC) police station in Amritsar, the AIG added.