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Editorial

Easy money from sand mining, drug trade, land grabbing flourished gangs in Punjab

May 05, 2016 11:10 AM

Satinder Bains
CHANDIGARH: The gang wars, kidnappings, extortions, highway robberies is the new culture of Punjab which has come up during last five to seven years with the patronage of ruling political leaders and police. About 500 hard core criminals who formed 70 different gangs are operating in Punjab, the state intelligence sources have said.

The gangs are run by former student leaders and influential land lords having high connections in police and politics. It is believed that these gangs were intitally used by the political leaders for illegal sand mining, drug trade and land grabbing activities. The gangs operated in Punjab with impunity since they had easy excdess to power corridors and police was not allowed to act against them.Later these gangs in lure of easy money and power organsied themselves. Thye state police cracked on certain gangs while some others continued to operate. It was alleged that large number of criminals were enrolled into the Stundents Organisation of India, a student wing of SAD.

There were several incidents of gang wars between the ones who are enjoying official patronage and the other who are not in control of official machinery. The killing of gangster Jaswinder Singh alias Rocky near Parwanoo in Himachal Pradesh by rival gangster Jaipal Singh had exposed the political patronage to gangs. Rocky who was wanted in 30 cases of murder, kidnapping and extortion was given Punjab Police security by Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal who holds home department.

Thwe gang war in Amritsar where two gangsters were killed in two days had brought to fore the role of police. The police remained indoor while gangster Bobby Malhotra killed Hriya another gangster close to police station Division B on Sultanwind road. Malhotra was moving around in city openly while he was wanted in several cases. Another gangster Ranjoit Singh Rana who was also office bearer of youth wing of Shiromani Akali Dal led by Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia had killed a ASI Ravinderpal Singh while he tried to save the dignity of her daughter.

It is reported that in Amritsar there are about 100 gangsters who are engaged in extortions, money lending and land grabbing with the alleged help of local police and politicians. Ludhiana district about 70 gangsters are active and 70 gangsters are operating in Mohali district. These gangs are involved in car snatching, highway robberies, land grabbing and extortions and also working for loan recovery. In Mohali there were three cases of car jacking in a single day on May 2 and no accused could be arrested so far.

During the last one month four hig profile kidnappings for ransom had taken place and police remained clueless in most of the cases. Many other cases go unreported. Shavni Gupta seven year girl was kidnapped by a gang in Patiala on May 4 and reportedly released after her father, a businessman, paid Rs.50 lakh ransom while police looked on.

On April 14 last 14 year old son of a industrialist Narinder Singh was kidnapped but he was found dead after two days. The parents of boy had recieved call for ransom of Rs.30 lakhs. The police didn't allow to pay the ransom. Another Patiala based man Robin Gupta was kidnapped and Rs.2 lakh ransom was demanded but police intercepted the kidnappers and fired on them who escaped after leaving behind kidnapped boy.

On Mya a former sarpanch of village Dhaipai was let off by kidnappers after three days when his NRI brother paid a ransom of Rs.30 lakhs. Police had later arrested the three kidnappers and recovered the ransom money.

A senior police officer said that trend of kidnappings for money was picking up in Punjab which is serious matter.

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