In a significant breakthrough against organised crime, Punjab Police’s Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) in joint operation with Uttar Pradesh Police has apprehended two notorious shooters backed by Foreign Handlers from Lucknow, both wanted in separate sensational murder cases in Punjab, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Tuesday.
The arrested accused persons identified as Bikramjit alias Vicky of village Sur Singh in Tarn Taran and Punjab Singh of village Sandhra in Tarn Taran, were residing in the same rented accommodation provided by their foreign handlers in Lucknow. DGP Gaurav Yadav said that arrested accused Vicky was involved in the murder of Gopi Chohla, who was shot dead in Taran Tarn on March 1, 2024, while Punjab Singh, is a key accused in broad-daylight triple murder case of Dildeep Singh and two of his relatives at Ferozepur in September 2024.
As per the information, on September 3 at around 12:50 PM, Dildeep Singh, Anmolpreet Singh, Jaspreet Kaur, Akashdeep and Harpreet alias Jonty were traveling in a car near Gurudwara Shri Akalgarh Sahib, Kamboj Nagar, Ferozepur City, when six unidentified assailants opened the fire. In this incident, Dildeep Singh alias Lalli, Akashdeep Singh and their sister Jaspreet Kaur were killed, and two others, Anmolpreet Singh and Harpreet Singh, were injured.
Notably, Punjab Police had already arrested six other accused in triple case within seven days of the incident from Hruday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray Express Highway in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, while, Punjab Singh was absconding. The DGP said that both the arrested accused persons have criminal histories with accused Vicky has been facing 12 criminal cases pertaining to murder, robbery and NDPS act offences, while accused Punjab Singh has four criminal cases pertaining to murder, NDPS act, Arms Act and Rape registered against him. Police teams have also impounded a white coloured Hyundai Alcazar (PB 60 D 0036), in which they were travelling, he added.
He said that recovery of weapons used in both the crimes is expected in coming days. Further investigations are on to establish their backward and forward linkages, he added. Sharing the operational details, ADGP AGTF Promod Ban said that an information based on human intelligence was received about possible hideouts and vehicle details of two shooters were roaming in Lucknow district in Uttar Pradesh.
Acting swiftly, teams of AGTF under the supervision of AIG AGTF Sandeep Goel shared the information with Lucknow Police, and joint teams of AGTF led by DSP Bikramjit Brar and Inspector Pushwinder Singh along with Lucknow Police successfully arrested the duo from Indira Nagar in Lucknow, he added.