CHANDIGARH, Jan 20:
The Punjab Government today launched ‘Operation Prahar’, a Statewide drive to dismantle the entire ecosystem of organised crime, with over 2,000 police teams conducting raids across the state at locations linked to associates of 60 foreign-based gangsters.
Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp
Addressing a press conference here, Director General of Punjab Police Gaurav Yadav said raids were being conducted across the State and 12,000 police personnel were participating in the the 72-hour-long operation.
“Financing, logistics, safe houses, weapon supply chains, communication networks… We are committed to bust the entire ecosystem of gangsters. There will be zero tolerance for their aiders and abetters,” Yadav told reporters here.
“A massive Statewide crackdown against gangsters has already begun. As many as 2,000 police teams are conducting raids at identified and mapped locations linked to associates of 60 foreign-based gangsters across Punjab. These raids are part of the 72-hour-long Operation Prahar,” he said.
He said police have mapped 1,200 associates of 60 gangsters and their 600 family members involved in criminal activities under this crackdown.
Prominent among those foreign gangsters were Goldy Brar, Rohit Godara (Brar-Rohit Godara-Kala Jatheri gang), Arsh Dalla (Jaipal gang), Harry Chattha (Jaggu Bhagwanpuria gang) and Harvinder Singh Sandhu alias Rinda (Rinda-Landa gang).
Warning foreign-based gangsters, the DGP added, “They should not feel safe abroad. Soon, they will be brought back to Punjab to face the law.”
The DGP said police identified 60 foreign-based gangsters who are operating from abroad while executing criminal activities in Punjab through their local associates.
To expedite their extradition, the Punjab Police has established an Overseas Fugitive Tracking and Extradition Cell (OFTEC), headed by DIG Counter Intelligence Ashish Choudhary.
These gangsters will be brought to Punjab to face legal action, he said.
Yadav was accompanied by Special DGP (Law and Order) Arpit Shukla, Additional DGP (Anti-Gangster Task Force) Promod Ban and Inspector General of Police (Headquarters) Dr Sukhchain Singh Gill, and reiterated the Punjab Government’s zero-tolerance policy against gangsterism and those supporting it.
Yadav said, “The Punjab Government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, has declared a well-strategised war against gangsters with the clear intent of eliminating the entire ecosystem of gangsterism, including their financing, logistics, safe houses, weapon supply chains and communication networks.”
Providing further details, Yadav said that Red Corner Notices (RCN) have already been issued or are in the process of being issued against 23 of the identified gangsters. (PTI)
Follow our WhatsApp channel
