Chandigarh (Rajeev Sharma) — In a significant international operation under the ‘Gangstran Te Vaar’ campaign, Punjab Police have announced the detention of most-wanted gangster Amritpal Singh, alias Amrit Dalam, at the Moldova border. The breakthrough, confirmed on Saturday, follows a coordinated effort involving an Interpol Red Corner Notice issued at the request of state and central agencies.
DGP Punjab Gaurav Yadav stated that the arrest was made possible through seamless coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and Interpol. Amritpal Singh, a native of Dalam Nangal village in Batala, is a high-profile associate of the notorious Jaggu Bhagwanpuria gang. He had reportedly fled India using a fraudulent passport and has since been linked to a string of serious crimes, including cross-border drug smuggling, murders, and high-stakes extortion targeting business owners in the Amritsar belt.
The detention highlights the efficacy of the newly established Overseas Fugitive Tracking and Extradition Cell (OFTEC). Formed under the direction of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and headed by IGP Counter Intelligence Ashish Choudhary, OFTEC is specifically tasked with hunting down criminals who seek refuge on foreign soil. DGP Yadav noted that legal and diplomatic procedures are already in motion to expedite Singh’s extradition to India, where he will stand trial for his extensive criminal history.
This arrest is being viewed as a major blow to organized crime syndicates operating from abroad. DGP Yadav emphasized that the Punjab Police remain relentless in their pursuit of several other fugitives currently hiding overseas. The successful tracking of Amritpal Singh at the Moldova border serves as a stark warning to other gang leaders that international borders will no longer provide a shield from the reach of the Punjab law enforcement agencies.
