The Punjab Police on Wednesday said it has arrested two persons with 7 kg heroin and five pistols. According to preliminary investigation, the accused were directly in touch with some Pakistan-based smugglers and were supplying consignments of weapons and drugs across the state after they were trafficked from across the border via drones.

A case has been registered against the accused under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and the Arms Act.  Those arrested have been identified as Gurmukh Singh, a resident of Bhura Kona in Tarn Taran and Jagwant Singh of Mehdipur in Tarn Taran, said Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav. The police also recovered five live cartridges and five magazines from their possession.

DGP Yadav said the police received a tipoff that two smugglers were going to deliver a weapon consignment near Muhawa village in Amritsar's Gharinda area, acting on which checkpoints were put up in the area.  The duo who were coming in a car were intercepted and arrested after five pistols and ammunition were found in their possession, he added. During questioning, the accused told the police that along with weapons, they had also retrieved heroin, which they had hidden near their house.

Following their disclosure, the police raided a location shared by the duo and recovered 7 kg heroin.   Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Amritsar Rural Satinder Singh said investigations are on to establish the backward and forward linkages in this case and identify those whom the arrested persons were to deliver the weapon consignment. The police will also initiate the procedure to forfeit the illegally acquired property of the arrested smugglers under the NDPS Act, he added.

3 members of Lawrence Bishnoi-Goldy Brar gang held in Punjab

Punjab Police have arrested three associates of the Lawrence Bishnoi and US-based Goldy Brar gang in a joint operation with Rajasthan Police. The police also recovered two pistols along with six cartridges from the accused who have been identified as Gurpreet Singh of Bhikhi in Mansa, Maninder Singh alias Munshi of Talwandi Sabo in Bathinda and Harcharanjit Singh of Bir Khurd village in Mansa. All the accused have criminal histories with cases pertaining to murder, attempt to murder, and the Arms Act, among others registered against them.

DGP Yadav said that acting on reliable inputs, a team of the Anti-Gangster Task Force apprehended Harcharanjit, who was wanted in an attempt to murder case, in a joint operation with Rajasthan Police. During interrogation, Harcharanjit revealed that he was working on the directions of notorious gangster Manpreet Singh alias Manna, who tasked him to help Gurpreet and Maninder to eliminate a member of a rival gang.  Gangster Manna, who is currently lodged in Rupnagar jail, is a close associate of Lawrence Bishnoi.

Following Harcharanjit's disclosure, police launched a manhunt to nab both the accused and managed to arrest them from Mansa Road in Bathinda, the DGP said.  Further investigations are on to establish forward and backward linkages in this case, he added. DGP Yadav also thanked DGP Rajasthan for the support to Punjab Police in the inter-state operation.