Punjab on Friday introduced money rewards for 28 proclaimed offender ‘gangsters’ — ishtehari mujrim — who run extortion rackets, order killings and smuggle arms and medicines into the state from hideouts unfold throughout three continents. Most of them haven’t set foot in India for years.
The rewards, introduced underneath the “Gangster-Free Punjab” marketing campaign, vary from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh every.
The federal government issued full web page ads with their names and images in newspapers on Friday.
Collectively, their prison data span lots of of FIRs throughout Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Delhi, with their operations directed remotely from the US, Canada, UK, UAE, Europe, Brazil and Pakistan.
The Rs 10-lakh tier
On the prime of the listing sits Lakhbir Singh, alias Landa, from Harike in Tarn Taran district. Born in 1989, he fled to Canada in 2017 and is at present based mostly in Edmonton, Alberta. The Ministry of Dwelling Affairs has designated him a terrorist underneath UAPA. A key determine in Babbar Khalsa Worldwide, he’s the alleged mastermind of the 2022 RPG (rocket-propelled grenade) assault on Punjab Police’s Intelligence Headquarters in Mohali, and is the fulcrum of a narco-terror community run from Canada with the assistance of Pakistan’s ISI. He faces 33 prison circumstances. Punjab Police have arrested 71 of his associates.
Alongside Landa on the top-reward listing is Harwinder Singh Sandhu, alias Rinda, from Tarn Taran, who moved to Maharashtra at age 11 and dedicated his first homicide at 18 over a household dispute. He turned a Class A-plus gangster linked to Babbar Khalsa Worldwide and operated from Pakistan underneath ISI safety. He was the alleged mastermind of the 2022 RPG assault on the Mohali police intelligence headquarters and the bridge between terrorists, gangsters and narcotics smugglers throughout Punjab. He was reported useless of a drug overdose at a army hospital in Lahore in November 2022, although questions on his destiny persevered and his designation as a terrorist underneath UAPA continued.
Gaurav Putyal, alias Fortunate Patial, son of a Chandigarh resident, is the foreign-based kingpin of the Davinder Bambiha gang. After Bambiha was shot useless in 2016, Fortunate assumed management of the outfit. With over 24 FIRs in opposition to him, he has been linked to the murders of Gurlal Brar (brother of Canada-based gangster Goldy Brar), Vicky Middukhera, Sandeep Nangal Ambiya and a businessman in Kharar, in addition to the 2018 firing on Punjabi singer Parmish Verma. He’s suspected to be hiding within the US.
Balwinder Singh Doni, alias Doni Bal, from Pati Balel village in Amritsar Rural, is likely one of the important handlers of the Gopi Ghanshampuria gang and likewise aligned with the Bambiha faction. Over 32 FIRs are registered in opposition to him. He has claimed duty for the murders of an AAP sarpanch in Amritsar and a kabaddi promoter in Mohali, and is suspected to be hiding in the UK.
Prabhdeep Singh, alias Prabh Dasuwal, from Dasuwal village in Tarn Taran, is an affiliate of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang with greater than 5 prison circumstances in opposition to him involving homicide, extortion and unlawful arms possession. He’s suspected to be hiding in Brazil — making him probably the most geographically distant of Punjab’s needed fugitives.
The remaining Rs 10 lakh names — Sutinderjit Singh, Satbir Singh and two others — are Class A gangsters needed in a number of circumstances of homicide, extortion and arms smuggling throughout Punjab.
The Rs 5-lakh tier
Rohit Godara, alias Rawataram Swami, from Bikaner, Rajasthan, is a detailed aide of Canada-based Goldy Brar and probably the most lively abroad handlers of the Lawrence Bishnoi syndicate. He’s an accused within the murders of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala in 2022 and Karni Sena president Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi in 2023. He has claimed duty for bomb blasts exterior golf equipment in Chandigarh and Gurugram, threatened singer AP Dhillon in Canada and directed extortion operations throughout NCR, Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab from an undisclosed location in Europe.
Harry Boxer Harichand, alias Hari Boxer, from Alwar, Rajasthan, is a Lawrence Bishnoi gang operative whose nickname got here from a quick stint as a boxer earlier than he turned to crime. He illegally entered the USA in 2024 by the “donkey route” and is needed in reference to the murders of businessman Sanjay Verma in Abohar and laboratory technician Ashutosh Mahajan in Amritsar. In February 2026, he allegedly threatened Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh, demanding Rs 20-crore extortion in a voice word despatched from an American telephone quantity. He was subsequently detained by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement in California, although his extradition is pending.
Aditya Kapoor, alias Makhan, from Lahori Gate, Amritsar, is a ground-level operative of the Doni Bal community with 12 prison circumstances in opposition to him. He was arrested by Counter Intelligence, Amritsar, in November 2024 with a Glock 9mm pistol and different arms, and was discovered to be engaged on directions from Doni Bal and Portugal-based gangster Mannu Ghanshampuria. His reappearance on the needed listing suggests he’s needed in recent circumstances.
The remaining 16 names — together with Sarwan Singh, Gurwinder Singh, Amarjit Singh, Manpreet Singh, Rajesh Kumar alias Sonu Khatri (a Bishnoi gang affiliate from SBS Nagar), Mohammad Yaseen Akhtar, Kishar Singh Joortna and others — are operatives of assorted Punjab gang networks needed in circumstances of homicide, extortion and arms smuggling throughout the state.
The bigger image
Punjab’s gangster drawback is now not an area legislation and order challenge. These ishtehari mujrim are working from the US — which harbours the biggest variety of fugitives — the UAE, Canada, Germany, the UK, Europe, Australia, Portugal, Thailand, Brazil and Pakistan. They direct killings, accumulate extortion and smuggle weapons into Punjab utilizing encrypted communication, hawala channels and native foot troopers, usually juveniles recruited by social media.
Punjab Police’s Operation Prahar, underneath which this reward listing has been revealed, has created a devoted Abroad Fugitive Monitoring and Extradition Cell headed by a DIG-rank officer to coordinate with overseas businesses. Crimson Nook Notices have already been obtained from Interpol in opposition to 23 of the recognized gangsters, with the method for the remaining being accomplished in a time-bound method.
The Rs 93946-93946 helpline is open to all callers. The federal government has assured that the id of informers can be saved utterly confidential.
