5 gangsters eliminated, 564 arrested in past 10 months: Punjab Police

Tribune News Service

Jupinderjit Singh

Chandigarh, February 27

While the bloody clash between members of the Lawrence Bishnoi and Jaggu Bhagwanpuria gangs inside the Goindwal Sahib Central Jail in Tarn Taran district on Sunday has once again brought to the fore the menace of gang war in Punjab, the police claim only 73 gangsters are currently active (not caught yet) in the state.

Such a high number of hideouts shows how deep gang culture has permeated. We have been able to keep it in check now. A police official

The sheer number of gangs and their hideouts, as per the police record, reflects the deep reach these criminals have, though police officials claim the number of active gangsters has dropped below 100 for the first time in the state. Police records suggest five gangsters have been eliminated and 564 arrested since May last year when the Bhagwant Mann government formed the Anti-Gangster Task Force. Among those neutralised is Teja, killed in a police encounter last week. Besides, the police had in July last year killed Mannu Kusa and Roopa, both alleged shooters of singer Sidhu Moosewala. The police had this month only identified and raided more than 4,000 possible hideouts of the Bhagwanpuria and Bishnoi gangs. The police records reveal 2,371 suspected hideouts of anti-social elements linked to Bhagwanpuria were raided during a day-long operation last week. Earlier in the month, the police had raided 1,490 suspected hideouts of anti-social elements linked to Bishnoi and his close aide Goldy Brar.

“Such a high number of hideouts reveals how deep the gang culture had permeated in the state. But we have been able to keep it in check now,” says a police official.

The Sunday clash that left two dead has a potential to trigger a fresh wave of gang war in the state. Bishnoi and Bhagwanpuria have been friendly in the past, providing network and logistical support to each other.

The police are trying to ascertain whether the clash was limited to personal enmity between individuals or are the two gangs at loggerheads now. Both are co-accused in the Moosewala murder case, besides several other ‘joint actions’ undertaken by them. “These criminals are affiliated with 70 gangs, of which 10 are of category ‘A’. These are notorious due to their vast network, international support and activities, including clout inside jails,” said an official.

Apart from these, police records say the other active gangs include those formed in the name of deceased gangsters such as Devinder Bambiha gang, Jaipal Bhullar gang, Vicky Gounder gang and Kulbir Naruana gang and others like Kala Dhanaula gang and Shera Khuban gang.

These gangs mainly indulge in seeking ransom through kidnapping or issuing death threats. They have stakes in the music industry, kabaddi matches, liquor business and sand mining, say police records.

73 active in Punjab, 4,000 hideouts raided: Records

• As many as 73 gangsters are currently active (not caught yet) in state, suggest police records, adding their number had gone up to 2,000 in 2020-21
• As many as 4,000 suspected hideouts of members linked to Bhagwanpuria (2,371) and Bishnoi (1,490) gangs have been raided in February

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