Punjab Police’s Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF), working with the Overseas Fugitive Tracking and Extradition Cell (OFTEC) of Counter Intelligence and supported by central agencies, has secured the deportation of Gurwinder Singh alias Afridi from Ethiopia. He arrived at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport early on November 8, and an AGTF team led by SP Bikramjit Singh Brar took him into custody. This is the first time Punjab Police has deported a fugitive from an African country.
The 10-month search, codenamed Operation SHAHID, began on January 20, 2026, under the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann as part of the wider “GangstranTeVaar” campaign. IGP OFTEC Ashish Chaudhary supervised it. Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav, speaking at Punjab Police Headquarters with Special DGP AGTF Promod Ban and Special DGP Counter Intelligence Amit Prasad, called the outcome a new phase in the State’s crackdown on organised crime.
Afridi, described as a key kingpin of the DoniBal-Prabh Dassuwal gang, is wanted in 35 cases, including five murders, attempts to murder, extortion, and Arms Act offences. The state announced a Rs 5 lakh reward for information leading to his arrest. Preliminary investigations show that while abroad, he allegedly directed targeted killings, extortion-related firings, and other organised criminal activity in Punjab.
The five murder cases are the October 2024 killing of AAP sarpanch Rajwinder Singh (Raj Talwandi), the March 2025 murder of 12-year-old Gursewak Singh, the March 2025 killing of Vicky Chugh, the May 2025 murder of Jaswant Singh and the September 2025 killing of Congress block president Gurmel Singh. The network is also linked to several other attacks on local leaders and sarpanchs, with overseas handlers using encrypted channels to direct the local shooters and manage the logistics.
Afridi left India on 31st March 2025 (flying from Mumbai to the UAE) on a passport issued in Lucknow on 12th February 2025 (name: Vijender Singh, address: Gorakhpur). From the UAE, he attempted to go to Mexico via Istanbul on a fake Mexican passport, claiming to be Mexican and was deported. He went to Kenya in April 2026, Angola in June 2026 and Ethiopia in November 2026.
Punjab Police issued an Interpol Red Notice and 7 Interpol references, and shared details of his false identity and movements with central agencies. Ethiopian authorities detained and deported him on 6th November. DoniBal (Balwinder Singh from PatiBalel village, Amritsar) and PrabhDasuwal are part of the wider overseas-led networks that have been involved in extortion and killings across Punjab. DoniBal is linked to several murder, extortion and arms cases in police records. The gang has been named in several attacks. It is linked to the acquisition of advanced weaponry in several encounters, including a mass shooting attempt which was stopped in Ludhiana in September 2026.
As part of its intense ‘GangstranTeVaar’ campaign, Punjab Police have conducted over a lakh raids, arrested tens of thousands of people and seized huge quantities of illegal arms, ammunition, explosives and drugs. DGP Yadav thanked the Ministry of External Affairs and the various central agencies for their support.
The case is a textbook example of how sustained intelligence work, detection of forged documents, and the use of Interpol tools and diplomatic channels can close the gaps fugitives exploit as they move across continents.