Punjab: Four operatives linked to Lawrence Bishnoi gang held; planned attacks in Tricity, Patiala regions

SAS Nagar/Chandigarh: Four operatives, tasked to carry out targeted attacks in the Chandigarh tricity area and Patiala region by a foreign-based gangster linked to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, were arrested after an encounter in SAS Nagar on Wednesday, police said.

Seven .32 calibre pistols and 70 live cartridges were recovered from them, they said, adding that those arrested have been identified as Harvinder Singh alias Bhola alias Honey, Lakhwinder Singh, Mohammad Samir and Rohit Sharma, all residents of Patiala's Rajpura.

Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said preliminary investigations suggested the four were acting on instructions from their foreign-based handler, gangster Goldy Dhillon, and were planning targeted attacks in the Chandigarh tricity area and Patiala region.

The accused were arrested by the Punjab Police's Anti-Gangster Task Force and the SAS Nagar police following an exchange of fire near Steel Strips Towers on the Dera Bassi-Ambala highway in SAS Nagar district, he said.

ADGP of the Anti-Gangster Task Force Promod Ban said acting on specific intelligence inputs, joint teams led by DSP Bikramjit Singh Brar raided a house along the Dera Bassi-Ambala highway.

When the police attempted to arrest them, the suspects opened fire, with bullets hitting the bulletproof jackets of Head Constable Gagandeep Singh and Constable Gulab Singh, he said.

In the retaliatory fire, Harvinder Singh and Mohammad Samir sustained injuries before all four accused were overpowered.

SAS Nagar SSP Harmandeep Hans, who visited the spot, said all four arrested persons have criminal histories. More arrests and recoveries are likely as the probe continues, he said.

An FIR has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Arms Act at Police Station Dera Bassi.

Further investigation is underway to trace forward and backward linkages, the DGP added.