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NIA raids multiple locations in Punjab, Haryana in crackdown on terror, smuggling nexus
The raids that began early on Wednesday morning are in connection with cases registered by the NIA against gangsters and their criminal syndicates. People raided were suspected to be working for jailed gangster and terror accused Lawrence Bishnoi, Davinder Bambiha terror gang and another run by Pakistan-based gangster Harvinder Singh Rinda
National Investigation Agency (NIA) teams, supported by the state police, raided 58 locations across Punjab, including 12 in south Malwa districts, on Wednesday as part of the crackdown on the nexus between gangsters, drug smugglers, and terrorist groups based abroad, including Pakistan and Canada.
An official familiar with the operation said the searches are on in connection with three cases registered by the NIA last year.
Also read: Khalistani-gangster nexus: NIA raids over 100 locations across 6 states
The searches are being conducted at more than 125 places in Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Madhya Pradesh.
It is part of the crackdown against organised criminal syndicates and networks, gangsters, and their criminal and business accomplices.
“The raids that began in the wee hours of Wednesday are in connection with the cases registered by the NIA against gangsters and their criminal syndicate. Locations that were raided were suspected to be working for jailed gangster and terror accused Lawrence Bishnoi, Davinder Bambiha terror gang and another run by Pakistan-based gangster Harvinder Singh Rinda,” said the official.
Raids in Moga, Bathinda
Teams of the central counter-terrorism agency raided six places in Moga, the highest in the southwest belt of Punjab.
Officials said the district police teams provided security to the central agency.
Bathinda senior superintendent of police (SSP) Gulneet Khurana said the NIA raided Chandsar Basti in the city and Bangi Nihal Singh Wala village near Raman Mandi town of the district.
“The NIA team searched the house of Khokhar Singh at Chandsar Basti,” the SSP said.
Police sources said Khokhar deals in the car battery business.
According to information from Muktsar, the house of Sikh activist Ramandeep Singh Bhangchari was searched in street number 13 this morning.
The NIA also raided the house of another suspect, Shingara Singh, in the Lambi area of Muktsar.
Three places were raided in Ferozepur and one location in Mansa.
NIA raids at Karnal and Kurukshetra
NIA teams raided different locations in Karnal and Kurukshetra districts in Haryana. In Karnal, the NIA team raided the Sector 13 house of Gurtej Singh Khalsa, the chairman of the district gatka committee. After questioning him about foreign funding for three hours they left the house.
In Kurukshetra, the NIA raided a house near Umri village. It is learnt that the house belongs a prisoner, Sunny, who is a member of the Bambiha gang.
