Declaring that Punjab’s fight against the gangster-culture would continue, the state Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on Thursday said that the state police force is making efforts to extradite Canada-based gangster Goldy Brar, who had claimed the responsibility for the murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala.
“A red corner notice has been issued by Interpol against him...We are making efforts for his extradition,” said Yadav, while responding to media queries after the meeting with the Chief Minister.
After the killing of Sidhu Moosewala on May 29, Canada-based Goldy Brar, who is the member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, had claimed the responsibility for the murder on the same day. Only days before, Goldy Brar has once again released a video message claiming full responsibility of killing Sidhu Moosewala, while highlighting the reasons that led to his death.
Satinderjit Singh, alias Goldy Brar, is a native of Muktsar, and had gone to Canada on a student visa in 2017.
Punjab Police had earlier said that gangster Lawrence Bishnoi was the “mastermind” in Moosewala’s killing, which was in retaliation of youth Akali leader Vicky Middukhera’s killing that took place the previous year.
“WANTED TO CATCH THEM ALIVE, POLICE FIRED IN SELF-DEFENSE”
The state police chief maintained that the police wanted to catch the two gangsters alive; and the police fired back “in self-defence”. To a question, Yadav said that it was a “live encounter” while pointing towards the Amritsar operation. They fired at police teams with an AK-47 rifle. In self-defence, police fired back. We act as per law,” he said, adding that they were also asked to surrender but they did not stop firing.
Amritsar Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) MS Bhullar, talking to the media in Amritsar, also said that the police had asked the two gangsters to surrender. “We wanted to catch them alive. But when they did not stop firing, they were killed in the exchange of fire,” he said. Replying to a question, Bhullar said that the gangsters were dropped at the building by a vehicle and efforts were being made to trace it.
BROKEN MOBILE, AK-47, PISTL, MAGAZINES RECOVERED
During a search by forensic teams, 31 rounds of AK-47, a .45 bore pistol, and two magazines were recovered from the building, besides a broken mobile which is being examined by the forensic teams. The police, on Wednesday, recovered an AK-47 rifle and a .9 mm pistol from the gangsters. The police have also recovered some tablets, which are also being examined by the forensic teams.
POSSIBILITY THAT RECOVERED AK-47 IS SAME THAT WAS USED TO KILL MOOSEWALA
DGP Yadav said that there was a “high degree of possibility” that the AK-47 rifle recovered from the two gangsters after an encounter in Amritsar was the same weapon used in the killing of the singer Sidhu Moosewala. “But we can say with certainty only after getting its forensic examination,” he said. Mannu Kusa and Jagroop Roopa were part of a module to kill the singer. It is believed that Kusa fired at Moosewala with an AK-47 rifle. The two men were in a car that was trailing Moosewala’s vehicle at Jawahar Ke village in Mansa district. To a question whether these two gangsters wanted to flee to Pakistan, Yadav said that it was a matter of investigation. “We will explore all connections,” he added.
WAR AGAINST GANGSTERS TO CONTINUE: DGP
DGP Yadav, along with Anti-Gangster Task Force chief Pramod Ban and other senior police officers, on Thursday briefed the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann about the Amritsar encounter. “We gave a detailed briefing to CM saab about the operation,” said Yadav. “Efforts, being made to eliminate the gangster culture and the drug menace, were also reviewed,” he said whole declaring that the war against gangsters will continue. “We will root out gangsters and drugs from the state,” he said. Yadav further said: “We have started a kind of movement. The whole police force has been energised and activated. The state police chief also stressed for public cooperation in ending the gangster culture and the scourge of drugs.
PUNJAB WILL SOON BE FREE FROM GANGSTERS, DRUG SMUGGLERS, SAYS CM
A day after two gangsters, allegedly involved in Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala’s killing, were gunned down by the Punjab police in an encounter, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday held a meeting with the top police and administration officials.
During the meeting, attended by the state Home Secretary Anurag Verma, Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav along with other top police officials, the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) head ADGP Pramod Ban apprised the Chief Minister about the entire operation of killing two gangsters — Jagroop Singh Rupa and Manpreet Singh Manu Kusa — in a five-hour-long gun-battle in a village in Amritsar’s Attari, just about 10 kms from Indo-Pak border.
The Chief Minister, complimenting the officers of Punjab Police and Anti Gangster Task Force (AGTF) for successfully accomplishing an operation against dreaded gangsters during the meeting on Wednesday, declared that the State will soon be free from gangsters and drug peddlers.
“It is my guarantee to the people of the State that we will not allow anyone to disturb hard-earned peace in the State and every effort will be made to maintain peace and communal harmony in Punjab by making it free from gangsters and drug smugglers,” said the Chief Minister in a message to the people.
Mann, during a meeting, unequivocally said that these gangsters and drug peddlers were patronised by the previous governments.
“Under the protection of Akalis and Congress, these gangsters and drug peddlers had a free run of the State because their masters used them for their vested political interests,” he said.
However, Mann said that after assuming charge of the office, AAP Government accorded top priority to free Punjab from gangsters and drug smugglers, and “the day is not far when all of them will be behind the bars”.
The Chief Minister said that the action of Punjab Police on Wednesday was in consonance with the zero tolerance policy of the State Government against gangsters and anti-social elements.
“These gangsters were involved in the murder of noted Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala and were at large since the murder...AGTF had identified these shooters and had detected that they were hiding in a building near border at Amritsar,” said the Chief Minister adding that the Punjab Police carried out the operation in a highly professional manner by displaying exemplary courage.
Mann said that the entire State is indebted to them for their heroic deeds. “Punjab Police has upheld its glorious legacy of combating the anti-social and anti-national elements head on to safeguard the lives and property of people,” said Mann while assuring the people that no gangster, drug peddler, or any anti-social element will be allowed to jeopardise the state’s hard-earned peace and severest of severe action will be taken against them.