Gangsters lure jobless Haryana youth with money for their extortion biz

Hindustan Times

3 days ago

Gangsters settled abroad are luring Haryana youngsters with easy money and selling them dollar dreams to expand their extortion network in the state. It was the Radaur case and murder of liquor contractor Shantanu in Shahabad that led to the police encounter with Romil Vohra, a Yamunanagar native who worked as a hitman for Noni Rana, said a cop. (HT File)
From promising expensive watches to help in fighting criminal cases and offering to settle them in foreign countries, the gangsters use Haryanvis, aged between 18 and 30 years, to do their bidding, say investigators probing recent cases of murder and extortion.
'The recent arrest of two local youngsters involved in the firing at Aman Dhaba in Kurukshetra district's Shahabad town highlights this worrying trend of foreign-based gangsters luring unemployed youth into criminal activities, particularly in the northern districts of Haryana,' said Wasim Akram, the superintendent of police (SP), special task force (STF).
'In the last few days, we have arrested at least 18 such operatives influenced by foreign handlers through social media apps. Their interrogation has revealed that these jobless men are used for arranging arms, conducting recce, providing logistical help, making cash deals, driving vehicles for firing in the air to scare the extortion target. These youngsters don't have criminal history,' he said at a recent press conference in Karnal.
However, Akram said, the arms recovered were found to be sophisticated. 'The weapons are being smuggled into Punjab via drones from Pakistan,' he said.
The youngsters are paid anything from ₹5000 to ₹20,000, depending on the risk involved and their experience, police officials probing the extortion cases in various districts, said.
North Haryana's foreign link
Many of the gangsters operate remotely from Canada, the US and Portugal besides other countries in Europe and use social media apps like Whatsapp, Telegram and Instagram to communicate with their local contacts.
Investigators believe extortion cases are on the rise in north Haryana as a growing number of youngsters have settled abroad in search of jobs and it becomes easy for the gangsters there to arrange logistical help through their associates back in their native villages and towns.
'The local youngsters get caught in a cycle of violence as they are paid half the money and promised the pending amount for the next task. They are told that they're being used for small tasks and will never get caught until they realise it's too late. They are dumped by their handlers, who in turn change their location and become unavailable for them,' an IPS officer involved in the probe said, requesting anonymity.
Ganging up against vulnerable targets
The gangsters target immigration centre owners, liquor traders, commission agents, mobile traders or any merchant that they believe is earning much, for extortion threats, the investigators said.
A senior police officer in Yamunanagar said that over the past year, gangster Surya Pratap, alias Noni Rana, was linked to all extortion-related firings in the district, including three immigration centres in Bilaspur and Jagadhari, a liquor store and vends in Jagadhri and Yamunanagar towns besides the triple murder in Radaur. 'It was the Radaur case and murder of liquor contractor Shantanu in Shahabad that led to the police encounter with Romil Vohra, a Yamunanagar native who worked as a hitman for Noni Rana,' said the cop.
Noni Rana is the younger brother of gangster Virender Pratap, alias Kala Rana, from Yamunanagar. Kala, who was the member of the Lawrence Bishnoi-Goldy Brar-Kala Jathedi gangster syndicate, was extradited from Thailand in 2022 and is in a Delhi-NCR jail.
The STF said Noni was running his brother's gang and making extortion calls to mining dealers, plywood traders and politicians in the region before he fled abroad on a fake passport after walking out of the Ambala central jail in 2023.
In the past six months, Karnal residents Bhanu Rana and Kaka Rana, both settled abroad, have made extortion calls to immigration centre owners, mobile traders, a doctor and a jeweller in Karnal district. 'They work in alignment with Noni Rana,' said a cop with the STF.
The Bhanu Rana gang was behind last month's case in Karnal when two men were arrested by the STF near National Highway-44 with two hand-grenades that they were taking to another city to be used against a target, it was learnt.
A south Haryana-based gang led by Kaushal Chaudhary has also entered the northern districts. 'Kaushal, a native of Gurugram, is currently jailed in Bhondsi and his gang is being run by Shokeen, who is settled abroad. Another gangster from the region is Venkat Garg from Ambala. He was behind the killing of BSP leader Harbilas in Naraingarh in February, after which he fled abroad. Though he is currently alone, he is in touch with the Ranas,' the STF cop quoted above, said.
STF ensured extradition of 10 most-wanted gangsters
The STF has arrested 58 criminals carrying awards on their head, 101 gangsters, and 178 heinous offenders so far this year.
State director general of police (DGP) Shatrujeet Kapur said the STF has leveraged technology, analytical capabilities, and human resources to not only dismantle criminal strongholds but also to fight organised and cyber crime.
Former STF IGP Simardeep Singh, who was transferred recently, said police personnel have been equipped with specialised training and techniques, including dark web analysis and identifying cyber indicators, as investigation tools. 'The STF has firmly taken on the challenge of criminals operating abroad. The RCN–LOC cell at the STF headquarters, in coordination with central agencies, has successfully ensured the extradition/deportation of 10 most-wanted gangsters through look out circulars (LOCs), red corner notices (RCNs), Interpol references, passport revocations, and provisional arrest requests,' he added.