Business community under pressure as extortion cases rise in Ludhiana, street crime also shoot up
LUDHIANA: : A series of extortion threats, firing incidents, and intimidation calls targeting businessmen and property dealers across Ludhiana district in recent months has triggered serious concern among law-enforcement agencies and the trading community, with multiple FIRs pointing towards involvement of gangster-linked modules operating from within and outside Punjab.
Police records and media-reported FIR details indicate that extortion attempts in Ludhiana are being made in the name of known gangster syndicates, often using foreign phone numbers and encrypted messaging apps to demand money and issue threats. Similar cases are also reported from other cities of Punjab.
Karanpreet Singh who runs travel agency in Ludhiana has on June 4,2026 received a call for Rs.50 lakh extortion money from a gangster based abroad. In Whars App call, the caller identified himself as Mann Ghanshayampuria and threatened to harm him and his family members. Karanpreet said that caller made several calls and left notes on Whatrs App. He shared the information with police and a FIR was registered against Portugal based gangster Manpreet Singh alias Maan Ghanshayampuria.
In yet another incident, a scrap dealer Satish Kumar was attacked inside his shop in Kila Mohalla as he failed to pay extortion money. The accused has been identified as Shiva Bhatti and a FIR was registered against him and his brother Deepak Bhatti. Satish Kumar alleged that Shiva Bhatti and his brother were extorting money from him and other shopkeepers in the area. for a long time and threatening them of dire consequences. Satish Kumar suffered a fracture in the arm. Police said that Shiva Bhatti Police said Shiva Bhatti was a habitual offender facing multiple criminal cases.
In one widely reported case, a Ludhiana-based property dealer received repeated calls from an international number demanding ₹50 lakh. The extortion threat was made by a man claiming to be a member of the Kaushal Chaudhary gang. The caller, who dialled via WhatsApp using an international number registered in the United States, demanded ₹50 lakh in cash and issued serious threats to the realtor and his family.The victim, Hem Raj, a resident of Ramgarh Road in Sahnewal, approached the police after the alarming call. According to the complaint, the caller identified himself as “Raja” and said he was associated with Kaushal Chaudhary, a jailed gangster from Haryana.
On May 12 last an Ayurveda practitioner and a real estate owner in Raian village of Koom Klan got threatening calls from a Pakistan number. On May 9 a senior citizen who runs the edible oil business said that he got death threats for Rs.1 crore extortion money from two Rajasthan based men. On May 6 a car dealer complained that he received Rs.1 crore extortion threat from an international number and caller claimed he is an associate of foreign based gangster Rohit Godara.
On February 25 a businessman reported he got a call for paying Rs.10 crore extortion money from a wanted gangster Harii Chand Jatta alias Harry Boxer, linked to Bishnoi gang. On February 23 last Gurbir Singh Garcha a BJP worker and realtor fot call from foreign absed gangster Goldy Brar to pay Rs.5 crore extortion money. In another case Gurpreet Singh on February 10 evening received the extortion call while he was at home, he received a WhatsApp call from a foreign number. Immediately after the call was disconnected, a message arrived from the same number demanding Rs 1 crore and warning of dire consequences if the money was not arranged.
In another case, a garment trader operating in the Focal Point area reported receiving WhatsApp voice messages threatening him to pay ₹30 lakh. The messages reportedly claimed affiliation with an organised gang network. Police later confirmed that the number used was routed through VoIP services, making identification difficult.
A separate FIR was registered after a transport businessman near Gill Road complained of receiving extortion demands of ₹20–25 lakh, accompanied by threats of firing at his office. Days later, unidentified bike-borne miscreants reportedly opened fire outside his establishment late at night, intensifying fears of gang-linked intimidation.
Senior police officials have acknowledged that several of these extortion attempts appear to be part of a broader pattern where criminal gangs—often operating through jailed associates or overseas handlers—attempt to extort money from industrial and trading units in Ludhiana.
Investigators say that in multiple cases, the callers have used fake identities linked to well-known gang names to create fear, even though direct verification of gang involvement remains under investigation.
Business associations in Ludhiana have expressed concern over what they describe as a “pattern of intimidation,” particularly targeting medium and small enterprises in industrial zones. Traders say that even hoax calls claiming gangster links are creating an atmosphere of fear.
They have demanded the creation of a dedicated anti-extortion cell and increased night patrols in industrial belts such as Focal Point, Gill Road, and Dhandari Kalan.
Despite these efforts, repeated incidents of threats and occasional firing episodes have kept the security situation under close watch, with officials promising stronger action against organised extortion networks operating in the district.
In addition to organised extortion attempts and firing incidents, Ludhiana has also been witnessing a rise in petty street crime, including chain snatching, mobile phone thefts, and sporadic street violence in crowded markets and residential areas. Police data and FIR trends suggest that in several such cases, migrant labourers, including some from Bihar and adjoining states, have been arrested.
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