Latest news with #AGTF
Time of India
a day ago
- General
- Time of India
AGTF arrests 2 with AK-47 in Dholpur
Jaipur: Rajasthan Police's Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) Wednesday arrested two criminals with links to Anandpal gang and seized an AK-47 rifle, a double-barrel 12-bore gun, and two country-made pistols in Dholpur. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The gang, headed by history-sheeter Ramdutt alias Sonu Chambal, was long involved in illegal arms smuggling and violent crime across multiple states. Addl DG (AGTF) Dinesh MN said those arrested are Jeetendra alias Jeetu Chambal and his associate Tejpal Thakur from the Rajakheda area in Dholpur. Jeetu is the younger brother of Sonu Chambal, who had nearly 35 serious cases registered against him, including murder, kidnapping for ransom, and attacks on police in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. Police said Sonu built an illegal firing range in the ravines where criminals from other states were trained and given shelter. Following his recent arrest by Haryana Police, Jeetu took over leadership of the gang.
News18
4 days ago
- News18
Towel, Shaver & Australian Address: Courier For Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi Raises Alarm
The parcel, reportedly sent by a woman, may have been a test run to check whether a delivery could successfully reach Bishnoi inside the high-security jail A mysterious parcel from Australia, addressed to gangster Lawrence Bishnoi at Sabarmati Central Jail in Gujarat, has triggered concern among Indian security agencies. The package was intercepted at a foreign post office in Gujarat, which handles international shipments to and from the state, and has since become the subject of a multi-agency probe. The parcel was reportedly sent under the name Vandana Gaur, with an address in Australia that is now believed to be fake, according to intelligence sources. Curiously, the contents of the package—a towel and a strong shaver—were ordinary, which only deepened suspicions. Officials are questioning why someone would send such commonplace items from abroad, suggesting the parcel may have been a test run to check whether a delivery could successfully reach Bishnoi inside the high-security jail. What has further raised eyebrows is the fact that the sender reportedly paid around Rs 7,000 as international parcel charges, a considerable sum given the low value and easily available nature of the contents. This has added to suspicions that the shipment may have had an ulterior motive beyond what is visible. This isn't the first time such an attempt has been made. Sources say a similar incident occurred earlier in a different state, pointing to a possible pattern. Meanwhile, in a related crackdown, the Rajasthan Police's Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) has arrested Aditya Jain, a key member of the Lawrence Bishnoi–Rohit Godara gang, from Dubai. Jain is accused of acting as a 'control room" for the gang—coordinating extortion rackets and issuing threat calls on behalf of the network. Bishnoi, despite being lodged in Sabarmati Jail, continues to operate his criminal syndicate using VPNs and mobile phones, according to investigators. His name has come up in several high-profile cases, including the murder of Sidhu Moose Wala, threats to actor Salman Khan, the killing of a gym owner in South Delhi, and most recently, the murder of NCP leader Baba Siddique. Born into a well-off agricultural family in Dhattaranwali village in Punjab's Ferozepur district, Bishnoi belongs to the Bishnoi community, prevalent in Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan. He moved to Chandigarh in 2010 for college, where he joined DAV College and later became president of the Student Organisation of Panjab University (SOPU) from 2011 to 2012, marking the beginning of his descent into organised crime. First Published: June 02, 2025, 10:11 IST
Time of India
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
High court prescribes SOPs for Punjab, Haryana & Chandigarh to deal with organised crime
Chandigarh: Due to absence of any legislation in Haryana and Punjab to deal with organised criminal activities, especially to combat the epidemic of gang-sponsored violence and harassment, the Punjab and Haryana high court has prescribed standard operating procedures (SOPs) for both the states to deal with such cases. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The HC has set a deadline of two months for Punjab, Haryana and UT of Chandigarh to formulate these SOPs. "It is baffling to see that in spite of the widespread nature of this malady, no legislative framework to combat the same exists in the states of Punjab and Haryana. Addressing a similar situation in Maharashtra about two decades ago, the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crimes Act, 1999 was promulgated. Other states like Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan have also enacted similar legislations. In absence of a statute to address the same and in view of the discussion above, this court deems it appropriate to issue the directions with respect to organised criminal activities," the HC observed while suggesting SOPs. In a detailed order on the issue, Justice Harpreet Singh Brar suggested that an FIR be registered promptly on receipt of information regarding gang-related activities and a probe of such cases be conducted by officers of the rank of DSP. "Set up a toll-free helpline number, email ID and online portal of reporting of gang-related crimes. District-wise units of AGTF and STF headed by SP or DSP rank officers in the states of Punjab and Haryana, respectively, must be established. A state-level headquarter under the aegis of an officer of the level of ADGP must also be established," Justice Brar suggested in his order released on Tuesday. The bench also directed that an ADGP shall also conduct periodic meetings with the district heads to collate information and monitor their functioning. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The ADPGs must also meet their counterparts in neighbouring states as well as the central agencies every three months and share intelligence acquired. The HC said the proceeds of crime, acquired by indulging in illegal gang-related activities, must be investigated and these may be attached under Section 107 of the BNSS. The local police officers of district level AGTF/STF units must be trained and sensitised appropriately to deal with cases pertaining to organised criminal syndicates, the court added. Justice Brar passed these orders while hearing a plea filed by a person, who had received a ransom call from the member of Lawrence Bishnoi gang demanding Rs 2 crore. The petitioner had approached the HC seeking directions to protect his life and liberty. After examining the reports of MHA regarding the threat to the petitioner, the HC directed the Haryana police to take action and provide protection to the petitioner and his family. HC Observations "Organised crime thrives on a culture of fear. Gangs instil a pervasive sense of threat to personal safety as well as property, which coerces individuals into compliance. This fear-driven submission further entrenches their control and creates a sense of helplessness in the citizenry. Breaking this vicious cycle demands a commitment to creation of a secure environment, where the public feels empowered to report crimes without fear of retaliation. " "Gangster culture, particularly in the form of extortion rackets, has emerged as a significant threat to the social order in today's time, fostering an environment of fear and lawlessness. The glorification of violence, the normalization of criminal behaviour, and the recruitment of vulnerable youth into gangs not only perpetuate crime but erode public trust in the justice system." "A firm hand, with stringent law enforcement and legal measures, is essential to dismantling extortion rackets, deterring future criminal enterprises and safeguarding the moral fabric of society."
Hindustan Times
27-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
Prime accused in Tarn Taran murder case held after exchange of fire
The anti-gangster task force (AGTF), Punjab, in a joint operation with the Tarn Taran police, arrested the prime accused in a March 5 murder case, after an exchange of fire on Monday. The accused, Rahul Singh, is a history-sheeter, and the main shooter in the case, director general of police Gaurav Yadav said. A .30 caliber pistol and three live cartridges were recovered from his possession, the DGP added. The victim, Jagdeep Mola, was headed somewhere on his Royal Enfield motorcycle on March 5 around 2 pm when he had been shot dead by two bike-borne youths. Additional director general of police (ADGP) AGTF Promod Ban said the accused had opened fire at the police party but was injured in retaliatory action and subsequently overpowered and arrested. An FIR had been registered under Sections 103 (murder) and 11 (solitary confinement) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Arms Act at Tarn Taran city police station.
Hindustan Times
26-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
Punjab: 3 members of Ashish Chopra gang held in double murder case
Three criminals associated with the Ashish Chopra gang have been arrested in connection with a double murder case in Punjab, police said on Sunday. Director general of police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said those arrested have been identified as Manpreet Singh alias Mannu and Ramandeep Singh, both residents of Ferozepur, and Sonu, a resident of Faridkot. They were allegedly involved in the murders of Rishabh and Shalu due to gang rivalry between the Nata gang and Ashish Chopra gang, the DGP said. Three pistols along with seven live cartridges and four shells were recovered from their possession, the DGP added. The DGP said the arrests has also led to the cracking of another murder case, in which a person identified as Yotham was killed, with Manpreet Mannu being the main shooter in the case. Further investigation is underway to identify other associates of this gang and establish backward and forward linkages, he added. Sharing details of the operation, additional director general of police, anti-gangster task force, Promod Ban said, 'Acting on specific intelligence, AGTF teams led by DSP Rajan Parminder along with Ferozepur Police raided the hideout of Ramandeep Singh and Sonu in village Gulabe Wala in Sri Muktsar Sahib. The accused attempted to flee and opened fire at the police team but were apprehended after a chase.' 'In a separate operation, Mannu was intercepted in Ferozepur, where he opened fire at the police team in a bid to escape. In retaliatory fire, the accused sustained a bullet injury and was arrested,' the ADGP said. In this regard, a separate case under Section 109 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act has been registered at City Ferozepur police station. Ferozepur senior superintendent of police (SSP) Bhupinder Sigh said the accused have a criminal background and were involved in multiple heinous crimes, including the recent double murder case. 'Further investigations are ongoing, and more arrests and recoveries are likely in the coming days,' the SSP added.
