Punjab Newsline | Chandigarh
In a major breakthrough ahead of Independence Day, Chandigarh Police’s Operation Cell has busted an alleged illegal arms network and arrested three youths from Haryana with sophisticated firearms, including a Pakistani-made Zigana pistol.
Accused have been identified as Ajay (19), Rohit (18) and Dev (18), all residents of Jind district, Haryana. Police recovered one Zigana pistol, two PF-3 pistols, two magazines and 19 live cartridges from their possession during a special checking operation carried out as part of heightened security arrangements before 15 August.
According to police officials, the trio is allegedly linked to the Deepak Nandal gang and was planning to use the weapons in a firing incident connected to an extortion racket in Gurugram. Investigators believe the accused had already been sent to Gurugram to conduct reconnaissance of a target before the planned attack.
Ajay reportedly worked as a helper in a Maruti-related unit in Jind, while Rohit was employed at an electrical shop and Dev worked as a shop helper. Police alleged that Ajay introduced the other two youths to gang operatives, who lured them into the criminal network with promises of large financial rewards.
The arrests were made during intensified security checks across Chandigarh ahead of Independence Day celebrations. During interrogation, the accused allegedly disclosed their connections with the Deepak Nandal gang, prompting police to widen the investigation.
In a significant development, police said the probe has also revealed a suspected cross-border arms supply route. Investigators are examining the role of Nishan Singh (32), a resident of Kakkar village in Amritsar district, who allegedly maintained contact with Pakistan-based arms suppliers.
Police suspect that Singh, who runs a dairy business, used the establishment as a cover to receive weapons dropped by drones from across the border and distribute them to gang members operating in different parts of northern India.
Officials are now trying to identify the Pakistan-based suppliers, trace earlier consignments of smuggled weapons, and determine whether the recovered firearms were used in any previous criminal incidents.
Chandigarh Police described the operation as an important pre-Independence Day success, claiming that the timely arrests may have prevented a serious extortion-linked firing incident in Gurugram.
The investigation is continuing, with the focus now on dismantling the wider gang network, tracking the suspected international supply chain, and identifying all those involved in the alleged conspiracy.
