In a dramatic police operation, two gangsters affiliated with notorious criminal Jeewan Fauji were injured in an encounter with the Batala Police after they opened fire during an attempt to recover weapons. The encounter followed a series of criminal acts, including an extortion call and a shooting incident at a local business.
The chain of events began in November 2024, when Sarbjeet Singh and Sunil Masih — both linked to Jeewan Fauji's criminal network — made extortion calls to the owner of Maheshi General Store in Dera Baba Nanak. The shopkeeper was threatened with dire consequences unless he paid up. As a result, an FIR was registered at Dera Baba Nanak police station on November 17, 2024.
On January 13, 2025, at approximately 6:35 pm, the accused carried out their threat in a chilling escalation of their criminal behaviour. They arrived on a motorcycle at Main Bazar, Dera Baba Nanak, and opened fire at the shopkeeper. The brazen attack sent shockwaves through the market, leading to panic and the eventual closure of businesses. Following the attack, the police registered another FIR under relevant sections, including Sections 109, 111(5) of BNS, and Section 25 of the Arms Act.
The Batala Police, determined to track down the assailants, launched an intensive operation. Over the span of three hours, the team analyzed CCTV footage, deployed technical surveillance, and utilized human intelligence to trace the accused over 100 kilometers. This effort led to the identification and arrest of Sarbjeet Singh alias Sabha from Jalandhar, and Sunil Masih alias Labha from Vadodara, Gujarat, with the help of Gujarat Police.
While Sarbjeet is the resident of Malookwali under Fatehgarh Churian police station; Masih is the resident of Shahpur Jajan under Dera Baba Nanak police station.
The investigation also revealed a network of conspirators and those who aided the gangsters, all of whom were apprehended by the police.
During questioning, the arrested gangsters revealed the location where they had hidden their weapons. However, as the police moved in for the recovery operation, the accused opened fire on the officers. In the ensuing retaliatory action, both Sarbjeet Singh and Sunil Masih sustained gunshot wounds to their legs. They were promptly referred to the hospital in Amritsar, where their condition is stable.
