Two associates of foreign-based gangster held after encounter

Two associates of a gangster, Prabh Dasuwal, who were injured during a brief encounter with the police on the intervening night of September 18 and 19, were arrested with arms and ammunition. Both were admitted to the Civil Hospital, Patti, where their condition is stated to be stable.

One of them is a juvenile and the other has been identified as Pawandeep Singh, a resident of Bler Road, Bhikhiwind. The police recovered a Glock pistol (made in Austria), a country-made pistol and two empty and eight cartridges from their possession.

SSP Gaurav Toora informed newsmen here on Thursday that both had been working on the instructions of gangster Prabh Dasuwal, a resident of Dasuwal village (Valtoha), who is said to have fled to a foreign country. He has been demanding extortion money from well-established businessmen of the area. He, with the help of his associates, even fired at their houses to terrorise them.

The SSP said a team of CIA staff led by Inspector Prabhjit Singh, in charge of the local CIA staff, and Inspector Gurcharan Singh, SHO, Patti (Sadar), on a tip-off, jointly installed a naka on the Bharowal (Muthianwala) bridge. Both associates, riding a motorcycle, were signalled to stop. Instead of stopping the motorcycle, they opened fire on the police party which, in self-defence, also fired at the accused leaving them injured. The accused had stolen the bike they were riding.

The SSP said the accused were also involved in firing at some of those people who refused to give extortion money to the gangster. Their involvements were also found in some other crimes like firing gunshots at a kariana shop in Valtoha, at the house of a medico in Chuslewar and at a goldsmith’s shop at Ghariala village.

The SSP said the accused had stolen the bike on which they were riding a day before the incident and they were getting ready to commit a major crime.