Jalandhar: Cross-border drug racket busted, 1 held with 3 kg heroin, 2 firearms
Avneet Kaur
Jalandhar, April 12
The Jalandhar Commissionerate Police have busted a cross-border drug network associated with the Jaipal Bhullar gang. The operation resulted in the arrest of a key individual found in possession of 3 kg heroin and two firearms.
The arrest comes just three days after the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) announced the candidature of Bhupinder Singh Bhullar, father of the deceased gangster Jaipal Bhullar, from Ferozepur.
Jaipal Bhullar, a former national-level hammer thrower-turned-gangster, was killed in a police encounter in Kolkata in 2021. At the time of his death, Jaipal was wanted in connection with over 50 criminal cases across Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan.
CP Swapan Sharma, in a press conference, said that the police received a tip-off regarding suspicious activities related to certain gangs operating in the city. Acting on this, the police intercepted a car attempting to evade capture. The driver, identified as Saaraj alias Bau, attempted to flee but was apprehended.
Following Saaraj’s arrest, a search of the vehicle led to the discovery of 200 gm of heroin, prompting further investigation. Subsequent inquiries based on Saaraj’s disclosure statement unveiled an additional 2.8 kg of heroin, along with two .32 bore pistols and four cartridges.
CP Sharma revealed that Saaraj had a history of criminal activities, including extortion, attempted murder and organised crime. After being released on bail in 2022, Saaraj became closely associated with the criminal network of Jaipal Bhullar. Sharma emphasised that Saaraj, in collaboration with another gang member Chandu Firozepuria, orchestrated the trafficking of heroin from Pakistan to fuel their illicit operations.
Meanwhile, this development poses significant questions regarding the timing of Jaipal Bhullar’s father’s entry into politics and the busting of the trafficking network associated with Jaipal. However, the police claimed that investigations are on to unravel the full extent of the network’s operations and to bring all perpetrators to justice.
