Punjab Police have busted an organised crime network in Jalandhar, arresting four accused and recovering a large cache of weapons. Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav announced the breakthrough on Sunday.
Officers seized eight sophisticated pistols during the operation. The haul included a PX5 pistol, a Zigana pistol, three .30 bore pistols, and three .32 bore pistols. Police also recovered 45 live cartridges along with the firearms.
Initial investigation has revealed links between the arrested men and handlers based abroad. All four accused were also absconding in two separate murder cases at the time of their arrest.
The DGP said police are now working to trace the full network, both upstream suppliers and downstream distributors of the weapons. “Punjab Police remains committed to its zero-tolerance policy against organised crime, illegal arms trafficking, and anti-national activities,” he said.
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Gurdaspur grenade case cracked, three arrested
In a separate operation, Gurdaspur Police, working alongside Punjab Counter Intelligence, arrested three people in connection with a hand grenade recovered on April 27 near Geeta Bhawan Road in the city.
Police used CCTV footage, technical inputs, and human intelligence to zero in on the accused. During searches, a second hand grenade was found at the home of one of the arrested men.
Investigators say the accused received both grenades from a foreign-based handler and were acting on his instructions. A case has been registered at PS City, Gurdaspur under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and the Explosive Substances Act.
Police are continuing their investigation to identify the foreign handler and any local networks that supported the operation.
ISI shadow over Punjab unrest
Both cases follow back-to-back explosions in Jalandhar and Amritsar that shook the state. DGP Yadav had earlier told reporters that the blasts may be linked to Pakistan’s ISI.
No group had claimed responsibility for the explosions at the time of the press conference. However, the DGP said the timing was suspect, the blasts occurred close to the anniversary of Operation Blue Star. He described the situation as Punjab “fighting a proxy war against Pakistan on behalf of the country.”
Yadav said investigations are underway in both cases to establish forward and backward linkages, including the role of foreign handlers and local support networks. He reaffirmed that the state police will not lower its guard against organised crime or anti-national activities.