Aide of foreign-based gangsters caught after encounter, cops shot him in legs

In a major breakthrough, the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF), Punjab, arrested a notorious gangster, Gurpreet Singh, alias Vicky Nihang, a key associate of fugitive foreign-based gangsters Doni Bal and Munn Ghanshampuria after a brief exchange of fire near Sidhwan Bet on Saturday afternoon. The suspect fired two shots at the police and fortunately the bullets hit the front glass of Mahindra Bolero, the police vehicle, and in retaliation, the police officials also fired three shots, which hit both legs of the suspect.

He is wanted in the murder of social media influencer Kartik Baggan, in which he was one of the key shooters on August 23.

Director General of Police (DGP), Punjab, Gaurav Yadav, said preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect had a criminal history and was earlier arrested with two illegal foreign-made pistols in January at SAS Nagar. The arrested man and his associates were directed by their foreign-based handlers to carry out sensational killings in the state, which had been averted with his arrest. The police recovered one pistol with four cartridges.

“The Punjab Police reaffirm their unwavering commitment to dismantling organised crime networks and ensuring the safety and security of citizens. Further investigation was on to bust the entire network of gangsters,” the DGP said.

Inspector Vikramjit Singh, in-charge, AGTF, Ludhiana Range, told The Tribune that the police had got a tip-off that Vicky Nihang was heading towards Jagraon from Sidhwan Bet on a motorcycle. He was reportedly given the task of a targeted killing by foreign-based gangsters Doni and to avert the killing, the police had laid a trap. After intercepting the motorcycle when the police team were chasing the suspect, the latter in a bid to flee fell from his motorcycle as it skidded off the road. “Instead of surrendering, the suspect started firing at the police and fortunately the bullet hit the glass of the police vehicle and in self-defence we also fired three shots which injured both his legs. Vicky was rushed to the Civil Hospital, Jagraon, for treatment and he is said to be out of danger,” he said.

Inspector Vikramjit said the suspect had also harboured many associates of fugitives after they committed killings in the Majha area. When asked about the person whom Vicky was going to target at the behest of the foreign-based gangsters, the inspector revealed that further questioning would shed light on everything.

Commissioner of Police Swapan Sharma said it was a joint operation of the AGTF and Police Commissionerate, Ludhiana, which led to the arrest of Vicky Nihang, wanted in the Kartik Baggan murder case. Police teams were already after the suspect.

I killed Kartik as he assaulted my friend: Vicky Nihang

About the killing of Kartik Baggan, Vicky Nihang who is one of the key shooters, told the police that Kartik had once attacked his friend Sam, which maligned the name of their gang. To take revenge, he, along with his aides, shot dead Kartik and he has no remorse of it. Notably, the Ludhiana police had recently arrested three suspects in the Kartik Baggan murder case, namely Amandeep Singh, alias Sam, Gurvinder Singh, alias Gautam, and Sahil. Sahil was arrested from the city while other two were arrested from Maharashtra by the Ludhiana police team. After the murder, the suspects had been hiding at their whereabouts in Delhi, UP, Maharashtra, etc.