Vicky Gounder has not fled abroad, fears being killed in encounter: Punjab police

Among six criminals who were freed by their armed associates from the jail, Gounder is the only one who was not been rearrested.

On top of the list of wanted gagsters in Punjab, Harjinder Singh alias Vicky Gounder, who recently declared on Facebook that he is in Bangkok, “is very much in the country”, top functionaries of the state police claim, on the basis of “credible” information.

Gounder has remained elusive ever since he fled from the Nabha jail late last year. (HT File)

“He has been changing hideouts. He has completely shut down his criminal activities for now, but is around Punjab. Our teams are constantly keeping a tab on his and his associates’ activities,” said a top police officer, who did not wish to be named as he is not authorised to speak on the matter.

Gounder has remained elusive ever since he fled from the Nabha jail late last year. Among six criminals who were freed by their armed associates from the jail, Gounder is the only one who was not been rearrested. Thereafter, he has allegedly murdered three men in Gurdaspur in April this year as they belonged to rival gangs.

While terming Gounder's recent Facebook “check-in” at a club in Bangkok, Thailand, as “fake” and “an attempt to divert attention of the police”, the officer added, “He has not entered Punjab in last one month but is moving in neighbouring states, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Delhi.” The reason, the top cop said, is that he is sacred the cops will not arrest him but rather kill him.

Gounder, who comes from Muktsar, belongs to a gang originally formed by another history-sheeter, Jaipal Singh of Ferozepur. Gounder is wanted in at least 15 cases of murder, kidnapping and robbery.