Punjab Police have secured the deportation of one of the state’s most wanted gangsters, Gurwinder Singh, alias Afridi, from Ethiopia following a 10-month-long international manhunt spanning four countries, officials said.
A Punjab Police team took him into custody at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in New Delhi. He is being brought to Punjab to face investigation and legal proceedings in several criminal cases registered against him. Punjab Police obtained an Interpol Red Notice against him and shared intelligence inputs regarding his alleged fake identity and movements with central agencies. Seven Interpol references were also issued during the international pursuit, eventually helping investigators trace and detain him in Ethiopia. In the incident, four masked men allegedly vandalised the statues of Jesus Christ and Mother Mary and set the pastor’s car on fire before escaping. The operation was conducted under the supervision of inspector general of police (IGP), Overseas Fugitive Tracking and Extradition Cell, Ashish Chaudhary and led by SP (AGTF/OFTEC operations) Bikramjit Singh Brar. Yadav commended the teams involved and acknowledged the cooperation extended by the ministry of external affairs, ministry of home affairs and central intelligence and enforcement agencies. Addressing a press conference here, Cheema claimed that gangsters allowed to flourish under the previous governments were now being brought to justice.
He has also figured in investigations into the desecration of a church at Thakkarpura village in Tarn Taran on August 31, 2022. He referred to the deportation of Gurwinder Singh, alias Afridi, from Ethiopia, who carried a ₹ 5 lakh reward and faces over 30 criminal cases. He said that under the state government’s anti-gangster campaign, police have conducted 1.61-lakh raids and arrested 2,162 proclaimed offenders.
He said Punjab Police had successfully brought several gangsters back from different countries, including Ramanjit Singh Romi from Hong Kong, Amrit Singh from the Maldives, Prabhpreet Singh from Germany, Parminder Singh Pindi from the UAE, Sajjan Mahesh and Sukhdev Kumar Manish Baidi from Indonesia, Ajay Singh, Pawandeep Singh and Jaspreet Singh from Malaysia, and Karmbir Singh Deol from Canada. Punjab director general of police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav announced the successful operation at the Punjab Police headquarters on Sunday, describing it as the first-ever deportation of a fugitive from an African country secured by Punjab Police.
