Khanna: Illegal weapon supply module busted, four held

The Khanna police busted an illegal weapon supply racket with the arrest of four members of Pavitar-Husandeep and Darman Kahlon gangs and recovered eight illegal pistols and ammunition from their possession

The Khanna police busted an illegal weapon supply racket with the arrest of four members of Pavitar-Husandeep and Darman Kahlon gangs and recovered eight illegal pistols and ammunition from their possession.

The accused in custody of Khanna police on Saturday. (HT Photo)

The accused brought the weapons from Indore in Madhya Pradesh to supply the same among the gangs active in Punjab and neighbouring states.

The police seized 8 illegal pistols of .32 bore, 14 magazines, 5 bullets and one car from their possession.

According to police, with these arrests, they have foiled several crimes the accused were planning to execute.

The arrested accused have been identified as Hardev Singh alias Dev, 28, Ravinderpal Singh, 35, - residents of Puria Kalan village of Batala of Gurdaspur- Dharampreet Singh alias Mota, 23, of Chitti village of Batala of Gurdaspur and Manpreet Singh alias Manna.

The police have also booked one of their aides, who is lodged in jail, for helping them in procuring the illegal weapons. The police have concealed the identity of the accused.

The SSP said that the police arrested the accused near Mandiala Kalan village following a tip-off. The police received information that the accused are coming from the Delhi side in a car to supply weapons.

“When frisked, the police recovered a cache of weapons hidden in the car. The accused told police that they have procured the weapons from Indore in Madhya Pradesh through one of their aides, who is already lodged in jail in some other case,” the SSP said.

“A case under sections 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act has been lodged against the accused at Sadar police station of Khanna. More important information has been expected from the accused during questioning,” the SSP added.

Superintendent of police (SP, Investigation) Pragya Jain said that Hardev, who is a driver, is already facing trial in three cases, including drug peddling and culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

Ravinderpal and Dharampreet are into farming. Ravinderpal has three cases lodged against him, including attempt to murder and drug peddling. One case of drug peddling is already lodged against Dharampreet.

All about the gangs

Name of Darmanjot Singh Kahlon alias Darman Kahlon had popped up during investigation of the murder of Punjabi singer-turned-politician Sidhu Moose Wala on November 13, 2022. He was booked by Salem Tabri Police of Ludhiana for supplying weapons to the shooters involved in the case.

He is already wanted as he was booked by State Special Operation Cell (SSOC) for supplying at least 42 weapons in the state. However, Kahlon had managed to escape to the USA.

Pavitar and Husandeep are associated with notorious gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria and wanted in nearly dozen cases of murder, attempt to murder and extortion.

Names of Pavitar and Husandeep’s cropped up in the murder of Mandeep Singh, 26, of Pandoori village, who was shot dead by unidentified men on November 19, 2019.