Patiala, Jan 13: Patiala police have apprehended two residents of Chamkaur Sahib following a violent encounter linked to an international extortion syndicate. The accused, Davinder Singh and Anuj Kumar, were acting under orders from Goldy Dhillon, a gangster operating from abroad who targeted a Rajpura family for ransom.
The case surfaced after Darshan Singh of Gaddo-Majra was shot and injured at his home last month. Police officials stated the shooting was a warning tactic intended for the victim’s son in the US. Following a tip-off, the CIA wing intercepted the suspects, leading to an exchange of fire and the recovery of 0.30 bore and 0.32 bore pistols.
“After the firing incident, Dhillon demanded ransom from the victim’s son who resides in the US,” SSP Varun Sharma said. He added that the suspects had abandoned their previous jobs as security guards after being lured by the promise of easy money and the means to settle personal scores.
The recruitment process began on social media, where one of the suspects was approached by Dhillon after a video of the youth being bullied went viral. The gang provided the duo with logistics and funding in Muzzafarnagar to carry out the assault. Patiala CIA in-charge Pardeep Bajwa noted that the youths were in constant contact with Mandeep Sarpanch, a recruiter currently hiding in Spain.
Law enforcement officials have expressed concern over the rising trend of digital radicalization by criminal elements. SSP Sharma mentioned that gangsters often target vulnerable youths through social media, urging parents to be more vigilant about their children’s usage of such platforms.
The suspects remain in custody while receiving treatment for injuries sustained during the arrest. Investigators are now focused on tracing the local support network that assisted the shooters after they received their weapons.
“The whole extortion racket runs from abroad,” SP Gurbans Singh Bains said, explaining that using local recruits allows the primary conspirators to remain distanced from the crime scene.
