Punjab Newsline | Bathinda
Punjab Police's Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) has achieved a major breakthrough by arresting two alleged associates of an incarcerated gangster during an operation in Bathinda. Police recovered two illegal country-made .32 bore pistols and five live cartridges from their possession.
The arrested suspects have been identified as Kuldeep Singh alias Cheema, a resident of Akalia Kalan village in Bathinda district, and Abhiman Singh alias Abhi, a resident of Bhaguwali Dhani in Khundehalal village of Sri Muktsar Sahib district. Both were detained after police noticed their suspicious movements during routine patrolling.
Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said preliminary investigations indicate that the duo was linked to a criminal network allegedly being operated by a jailed gangster active in the Ferozepur region. Police suspect the network was coordinating various criminal activities from inside prison.
The DGP further revealed that Kuldeep Singh alias Cheema has a criminal history, with multiple cases registered against him, including charges related to attempted murder and violations of the Arms Act. Investigators are now examining the suspects' roles in the network and their links to other associates.
Providing details of the operation, ADGP AGTF Pramod Ban said the Bathinda AGTF team was on routine patrol when officers spotted two young men hiding in bushes along a slip road near the Cantonment Bypass Ring Road. The suspects allegedly became nervous and attempted to conceal themselves upon noticing the police.
Acting on suspicion, the police apprehended and searched the duo, recovering two illegal country-made pistols and five live cartridges. They were arrested on the spot.
Officials said the investigation is ongoing to identify other members of the gang, trace the weapons supply chain, and uncover the full extent of the criminal network. A case under the Arms Act has been registered at Civil Lines Police Station in Bathinda,
