Date: Saturday, 25 January 2025
Place: Chandigarh, Punjab, India
Punjab Police arrested an associate of the notorious Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar gang, identified as Mehfuj alias Vishal Khan, in connection with the firing incident that took place in Dera Bassi, Punjab. The arrest was made following an extensive operation carried out by the Punjab Police’s Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) and Mohali Police.
The accused was accused of being involved in a shooting incident on September 19, 2024, where two motorcycle-borne youths fired bullets outside an immigration center in Dera Bassi. According to reports, it was an attempted extortion against the owner of the immigration center.
Reports regarding arrest:
The accused Mehfuj is a resident of Dera Bassi. He was arrested by the AGTF during a swift operation where the latter was monitoring possible hideouts and locations of gang members. According to the authorities, the joint operation involved coordination between AGTF, Mohali Police, and other law enforcement units.
The arrest took place near the Punjab-Haryana border close to Barwala. On his arrest, police recovered a.32 caliber pistol and five cartridges from Mehfuj’s possession.
The DGP, Gaurav Yadav, confirmed the breakthrough in a post on the social media platform X, saying this was a significant success in the fight against criminal activities led by notorious gangsters such as Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar.
The Dera Bassi Incident
On 19 September 2024, two bikers had fired bullets outside an immigration center in broad daylight. The accused were reportedly demanding money from the owner of the immigration center. Police investigations revealed that the Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar gang was involved in the incident. One of the prime accused in the case is Mehfuj.
Investigation and Operational Details
The investigation into the firing incident was very carefully done; the AGTF relied on human intelligence to track the hideouts of the accused. As part of the effort, teams were formed under the supervision of AIG Gurmeet Chauhan and Senior Superintendent of Police (Mohali) Deepak Pareek.
Having acquired the information, special teams began scouring for Mehfuj. He was eventually tracked down near the border of Punjab and Haryana, where he was apprehended by the authorities.
Criminal Antecedents and Terrorist Ties
The arrested person, Mehfuj, has a history of crime and has been engaged in several illegal activities. Assistant Inspector General Gurmeet Chauhan said that Mehfuj had been working under the direct instructions of foreign-based terrorist Goldy Brar since 2023. He is also linked to weapons suppliers from Haryana, including notorious gangster Joginder, alias Joga, who was linked to the murder of Sidhu Moosewala.
In a landmark development, the authorities also unearthed that Mehfuj had received a weapons consignment from Joga, which was used in criminal activities.
Importance of the Arrest
This is a significant step for the Punjab Police in their fight against gang-related violence and criminal activities in the state. Targeting the associates and operatives of the Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar gang has severely dented their operations in the region.
It is being hailed as a critical one to Punjab’s efforts towards maintaining law and order, not to mention dismantling organized crime syndicates, as long as they are posing a threat to public safety.
Links to Extra Articles:
Punjab Police Crack Down on Gang Violence
Terrorist Links of Goldy Brar and Lawrence Bishnoi
Dera Bassi Firing Incident: Extortion Attack Uncovered
The arrest of Mehfuj, who is an associate of the Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar gang, comes at a time when the Punjab Police has consistently been working towards effectively tackling organized crime in the state. The weapon recovered and subsequent investigation into the criminal networks clearly indicate a larger strategy at play by the law enforcement authorities to curb the gang violence and disrupt illegal activities that were tied to terror groups.