E-Paper
Two smugglers arrested after Amritsar encounter sent to five-day remand
The two accused Ravi alias Khali and Robin Singh who were arrested after an encounter with Amritsar police on Thursday were sent to five-day police remand by a local court on Friday
The two accused who were arrested after an encounter with Amritsar police on Thursday were sent to five-day police remand by a local court on Friday. Ravi alias Khali of Chheharta in Amritsar and Robin Singh of Tarn Taran district’s Kazikot village were arrested after an encounter in a busy Narayangarh market. However, three more accomplices of the arrested men managed to flee from the spot. Police had also recovered five pistols from the encounter site. Police had said the arrested accused were involved in cross border smuggling of drugs and weapons.
A senior police official, who didn’t wish to be named, said on Friday that the arrested accused are members of a rival group of notorious drug smuggler Ranjit Singh alias Cheeta, who was arrested in connection with the seizure of 532 kg heroin haul at the Attari border. Cheeta was arrested from Haryana in 2020.
The official said Cheeta’s gang is now being operated by one Harpal Singh. “Harpal’s father Malkiat Singh was arrested in July this year with 16-kg heroin which was being smuggled from Jammu and Kashmir to Punjab. Harpal and Malkiat are close relatives of Cheeta. While Ravi and Robin have been at loggerheads with Harpal for the smuggling of heroin from across the border. Earlier, they were together, but got separated over the drug money,” the police official said.
Meanwhile, deputy commissioner of police (DCP-investigation) Mukhwinder Singh Bhullar said recovery of weapons and drugs are expected during the remand of the accused. He said, “Our teams are also conducting raids to nab the absconding accused. The gang members were actively involved in drug smuggling businesses.”
