Notorious smuggler Sonu Kangla held after brief encounter

The counter-intelligence team of the Punjab Police arrested a “notorious” drug smuggler and his associate after a brief encounter here today.

The arrested drug smuggler was Bhupinder Singh, alias Sonu Kangla. Around 30 criminal cases are registered against him in Amritsar and various other parts of the state.

The counter-intelligence wing of the police in Faridkot arrested Kangla and his associate Sarbjeet Singh, alias Babu Saab, alias Naath, near Khara village while they were travelling in a jeep.

According to Lakhbir Singh, AIG, Counter-Intelligence in Punjab Police, a team led by Inspector Satish Kumar had set up a naka near Khara village on the Kotkapura-Muktsar road.

A Thar vehicle coming from the Muktsar side was signalled to stop, but the occupants opened fire on the police and tried to flee. The counter-intelligence team chased the vehicle.

Initially, the team fired in the air, but then it targeted the vehicle tyre. The vehicle came to a halt and its two occupants tried to run towards the fields. They were, however, caught by the police.

A USA made 32 bore pistol and empty magazine were seized from their possession and both persons were arrested.

On June 8, 2015, Kangla had escaped from the Amritsar police custody while he was being taken back to the Nabha jail after hearing in a case in Amritsar. He was arrested by the Amritsar police in October 2012.