Punjab is witnessing a sharp and visible shift in policing as a series of targeted killings, firing incidents and extortion cases have pushed law enforcement agencies into sustained action against organised crime. From a kabaddi tournament ground in Mohali to hideouts traced in Howrah, from encounters in Ludhiana to arrests in Patiala, Amritsar, Raipur and Delhi, the police response now reflects a clear move towards intelligence driven operations that stretch far beyond state borders. Senior officers say the focus is not limited to catching shooters but on dismantling the entire network of handlers, recruiters, financers and overseas controllers.
The past few weeks have seen multiple breakthroughs. Police have arrested shooters, planners and aides linked to different gangs. Encounters have taken place in urban pockets. Multi state teams have tracked accused across regions. The combined impact is a strong signal that safe hideouts are shrinking for those involved in violence.
Kabaddi murder shocks Punjab
The killing of kabaddi promoter Kunwar Digvijay Singh alias Rana Balachauria on December 15 2025 in SAS Nagar while a tournament was in progress became a turning point. The murder happened in full public view and sent shockwaves across Punjab. What should have been a celebration of rural sport turned into a scene of fear, raising serious questions about security and the growing influence of gang culture in public spaces.
Police investigations have stated that the killing was linked to rivalry over control and dominance of lucrative kabaddi tournaments. These events draw money, influence and local power, making them a flashpoint for competing groups. Soon after the murder, social media accounts linked to the Dony Bal and Prabh Dasuwal network claimed responsibility and projected it as revenge linked to the 2022 killing of Sidhu Moosewala. They alleged that Rana was close to gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria. Investigators, however, have largely dismissed this narrative and said it was an attempt to sensationalise the case and mislead the public. According to police, the motive is rooted in local rivalry and control rather than revenge politics.
Howrah Arrests after weeks of Tracking
After sustained surveillance and intelligence gathering, Punjab Police arrested two shooters allegedly involved in the Rana Balachauria murder. The accused, Karan Pathak alias Karan Defaulter and Tarandeep Singh, were arrested from Howrah in West Bengal. The operation was led by the Punjab Anti Gangster Task Force with support from Sikkim Police, Mumbai Police, Howrah Police, West Bengal State Task Force and central intelligence agencies.
Officials said the accused had been frequently changing locations and using multiple phone numbers to avoid detection. Technical surveillance combined with human intelligence eventually led teams to Howrah, where a discreet operation was carried out. Both accused are being brought to Punjab for further questioning. A senior officer said the investigation is aimed at reaching the top of the conspiracy and not stopping at the shooters.
Encounter and Arrests in Ludhiana
While the kabaddi murder probe was expanding across states, Ludhiana witnessed its own dramatic police action. Acting on credible intelligence, police teams laid a naka in the Ladian Jassian area to intercept suspects linked to the Rohit Godara gang. Near a government school in Jassian, the suspects attempted to break the naka and opened fire on the police party in a bid to escape.
Police retaliated in self defence, leading to a brief but intense exchange of fire. Two accused, Sumit Kumar and Sanju, sustained bullet injuries and were apprehended. The third accused, identified as Sumit alias Altron alias Tunda, was overpowered and arrested on the spot. Police recovered two .32 bore pistols with magazines, four live cartridges and a black Splendor motorcycle without a registration number from their possession.
Ludhiana Police Commissioner Swapan Sharma said the operation cracked the Haibowal firing case linked to extortion. The incident had taken place on the intervening night of January 5 and 6 when three bike borne miscreants fired at the shutter of a closed readymade garments showroom in Civil City, Haibowal. The shop owner, Himanshu, later told police he received a ransom call from an overseas number demanding Rs 50 lakh, with the caller claiming to be part of the Rohit Godara gang.
During the encounter, bullets also hit an official police vehicle and one bullet grazed the turban of Head Constable Pardeep Singh. More than five rounds were fired from both sides. Police said the arrested accused have a criminal past with cases of attempt to murder and other serious offences. Gangster Shubham Grover has also been brought from Ferozepur Jail on a production warrant for questioning to explore possible links with the extortion network.
Rohit Godara is believed to be originally from Rajasthan, but his network extends to several states including Punjab. Police records show his associates are involved in illegal weapons, contract killings and intimidation of businessmen and builders. In many cases, gang members attempt to claim responsibility through social media to spread fear and project power.
Patiala police crack Goldy Dhillon linked firing
Patiala Police have also reported a significant breakthrough in a shooting case linked to the Goldy Dhillon gang. Two main shooters, Davinder Singh of Chamkaur Sahib and Anuj Kumar of Manemajra, were arrested for their role in the firing at the house of Darshan Singh of village Gaddo Majra under Sadar Rajpura police station. The elderly victim sustained a bullet injury in his stomach during the attack.
SSP Patiala Varun Sharma said the arrests were made using technical and human intelligence. Police recovered a .30 bore and a .32 bore pistol used in the crime. The SSP said the shooters were directly in touch with gangster Goldy Dhillon through his close associate Mandeep Sarpanch, who is believed to be hiding in Spain and allegedly works as a recruitment agent for the gang. Investigators revealed that after the firing incident, Goldy Dhillon demanded ransom from the victim’s son who resides in the United States. Both shooters were injured during an exchange of fire with police.
AAP reiterates zero tolerance on law and order
Reacting to the ongoing police action, AAP spokesperson Baltej Pannu said the AAP government has a zero tolerance policy on law and order in Punjab. He said anyone who has killed someone and is living under the illusion of easy hideouts should come out of this misconception. Pannu said the message from the government is clear. Those involved in murder, extortion and firing will be tracked and brought to justice, no matter where they are hiding.
Sarpanch murder case cracked in Amritsar
A major breakthrough came with the cracking of the murder of former sarpanch Jharmal Singh from Valtoha. Commissionerate Police Amritsar arrested seven accused, including two shooters, in what senior officers described as a decisive blow to the Prabh Dasuwal gang.
Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said the swift arrests reflected Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann’s zero tolerance policy against organised crime. He said criminals operating in Punjab will not be able to hide even in hell and warned that anyone involved in violence will be tracked down from any nook within or outside the country to face the law.
Police investigations have established gangster Prabh Dasuwal as the mastermind behind the murder, which was committed due to old enmity. The DGP said the crime was pre planned and targeted and the case was taken up on the highest priority. Multiple specialised teams were formed and the investigation was driven by a mix of technical surveillance and precise human intelligence.
The seven arrested have been identified as Sukhraj Singh alias Gunga of Thakkarpura in Tarn Taran, Karamjeet Singh of village Passanwal in Gurdaspur, Jobanpreet Singh of village Bhai Ladhu in Tarn Taran, Harpreet Singh alias Happy of village Bahadur Nagar in Tarn Taran, Jobanpreet Singh, Kulwinder Singh alias Kinda and Armandeep Singh, the latter three from village Kalsian Kalan in Tarn Taran. Police said Sukhraj Singh alias Gunga has prior criminal history involving theft and Arms Act cases and was also involved in another sarpanch murder case.
The DGP said both shooters, Sukhraj Singh alias Gunga and Karamjeet Singh, were arrested from Raipur in Chhattisgarh after sustained coordination with central agencies and Chhattisgarh Police. He revealed that the accused had been moving across Maharashtra, Delhi, Bihar, Punjab and Chhattisgarh and were using forged Aadhaar cards to evade detection. Further arrests were made from Mohali, Valtoha and the Bhikhiwind area of Tarn Taran. Police said these accused played a key role in providing logistics, shelter, weapons and a motorcycle to the shooters. Investigators also found that the shooters and the support accused did not know each other and were acting independently on the instructions of Prabh Dasuwal.
Total arrests rise across cities
Senior police sources confirmed that at least 11 accused have been knocked down or arrested across different cities and states in connected actions. Two shooters were arrested from Howrah in the Rana Balachauria murder case. Three accused were arrested after the encounter in Ludhiana. Two shooters were arrested in Patiala in the Goldy Dhillon linked case. One key accused was arrested at Delhi airport in connection with the kabaddi murder conspiracy. Seven accused were arrested in the Amritsar Commissionerate area in the sarpanch murder case, with investigators continuing to examine overlaps and wider linkages between networks. Additional aides and facilitators have been picked up during coordinated action involving Sikkim, Mumbai and other locations as the net continues to widen.
All arrested accused are being brought to Punjab for further interrogation. Police have made it clear that the focus is not only on individual crimes but on breaking the entire ecosystem that supports organised crime, including financial channels, recruitment methods and overseas handlers.
Pressure builds for sustained results
The recent incidents have left a deep impact on public life in Punjab. A kabaddi ground, a market shutter, a village home and a city street have all turned into crime scenes in a short span. This has fuelled fear among citizens and increased scrutiny of the police and administration. At the same time, the scale of the police response, the speed of arrests and the degree of coordination across states suggest that the system is under pressure to deliver visible outcomes.
For now, the message from Punjab Police and the government is consistent. The chase has moved from Mohali to Howrah, from Ludhiana to Raipur, from Patiala to Delhi. Safe havens are shrinking. The approach is targeted and intelligence driven. Whether this momentum will lead to long term dismantling of gang networks will depend on sustained investigation, strong prosecution and the ability to choke the resources that keep these groups alive. But on the ground, the signal is clear. Those who believed they could kill, threaten and disappear are now firmly on the radar.
