Jalandhar: 13 arrested, extortion & arms smuggling racket busted by police after three-week operation

Jalandhar: After a three-week investigation, Jalandhar (Rural) police said on Friday that they had apprehended 13 suspects and busted a weapons smuggling and extortion ring connected to the Pinda Gang.

All of the individuals apprehended were gang members and skilled shooters, according to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Swapan Sharma, stated on Friday.

Palwinder Singh, alias Pinda, a close associate of the gangster Vicky Gounder, whose position was also revealed after the escape from Nabha Jail, is thought to be the leader of the Pinda gang. According to the SSP, Gounder was managing the gang with the help of Parmajit alias Pamma, a resident of Shahkot, Jalandhar, who was now staying in Greece, The Indian Express reported.

Police have identified the 13 arrested shooters as Sunil Masih alias Jeuna from Lohian, Jalandhar, Ravinder alias Ravi from Lohian, Jalandhar, Pradeep Singh from Lohian, Jalandhar, Manjinder alias Shavi from Lohian, Jalandhar, Sukhman Singh alias Subha from Lohian, Jalandhar, Sandeep alias Dilli from Nakodar, Jalandhar, Major Singh from Nakodar, Jalandhar, Aprail Singh alias Shera from Nakodar, Jalandhar, Balwinder alias Guddha from Nakodar, Jalandhar, Salinder Singh from Nakodar, Jalandhar, Satpal Singh alias Satta from Makhu, Ferozpur, Devinderpal Singh alias Deepu Shahkot, Jalandhar and Satwant Singh alias Jagga from Shahkot, Jalandhar.

All of the men who were arrested have criminal cases against them. The accused have been previously charged for murder, attempted murder, extortion, and the smuggling of weapons. They are all history-sheeters.

The police said that they had seized at least 12 weapons from the gang members' hands, including two cars, some foreign cash worth Rs 8 lakhs, seven .32 bore pistols, three .315 bore pistols, one .315 bore rifle, and one .12 bore gun, The Indian Express reported.

According to SSP Sharma, Paramjit alias Pamma used to provide the gang with funding by sending foreign cash to Amarjit alias Amar via the Hawala system. Amarjit was then charged with distributing the funds to other gang members so they could engage in other illegal acts.

The Pinda gang has allegedly been involved in organised extortion, armed highway robberies, land mafia, and weapon smuggling from Madhya Pradesh for the past six years, according to the SSP.