Gangster-terror nexus on radar, NIA searches 76 sites in 8 states
New Delhi, February 21
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) today conducted simultaneous searches at 76 locations in eight states in connection with cases related to a nexus between gangsters, terror groups and the drug mafia, officials said.
The raids were conducted in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi-NCR, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. About Rs 1.5 crore cash, 11 pistols and rifles with ammunition and incriminating material, including documents, hard drives and mobile phones, were seized, the NIA said.
The searches were conducted at the premises linked to Lakhvir Singh of Gidderbaha in Muktsar, Naresh of Abohar; Surender, alias Cheeku, of Narnaul in Haryana; Kaushal Choudhary and Amit Dagar of Gurugram and Sunil Rathi of Bagpat in UP. Hawala operators, kabaddi players, weapon suppliers, gun houses, business frontmen, financiers and logistics associates were targeted today. In Punjab, the raids were conducted across Abohar, Bathinda, Muktsar, Moga, Ludhiana, Mohali, Ferozepur, Tarn Taran and Ludhiana districts. In Haryana, the NIA teams raided locations across Gurugram, Yamunanagar, Rohtak, Mahendragarh, Sirsa and Jhajjar districts. The other locations were spread across Churu, Bharatpur and Alwar districts in Rajasthan; Bagpat, Bareilly, Pratapgarh, Bulandshahr and Pilibhit districts in UP and Dwarka, Outer North and Central Delhi districts in Delhi.
town in Muktsar district on Tuesday. Tribune photograph
An official said the aim was to dismantle the nexus between terrorists, gangsters and drug smugglers and traffickers based in India and abroad. Preliminary investigations have revealed that the gangs were carrying out targeted killings and were also raising funds to carry out such criminal activities through hawala network and smuggling of drugs and weapons.
A few of the most dreaded gangsters and their associates based in India and abroad who are spearheading such terror and criminal activities have been identified and booked in three cases registered by the NIA in August 2022. This was the fifth round of raids on the gangsters, their criminal and business associates in Punjab, Delhi, Haryana and Rajasthan and also their arms suppliers in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Delhi.
The raids come after recent sensational crimes and extortion calls by criminal syndicates and gangsters to businessmen and professionals, including doctors, had created a widespread scare. These gangs have been using cyberspace to publicise their crimes to create terror among people.
The ongoing cases, including the killing of Sanjay Biyani in Maharashtra and Sandeep Nangal Ambian in Jalandhar, being investigated by the agency revealed how conspiracies were being hatched from inside jail and executed by an organised network of operatives based in India and abroad.
Focus on north
Punjab: Abohar, Bathinda, Muktsar, Moga, Ludhiana, Mohali, Ferozepur, Tarn Taran, Ludhiana dists
Haryana: Gurugram, Yamunanagar, Rohtak, Mahendragarh, Sirsa and Jhajjar dists
Rajasthan: Churu, Bharatpur and Alwar districts
Delhi: Dwarka, Outer North Delhi and Central Delhi districts
