AI Generated Summary
- Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav described the operation as a significant achievement, marking the first time the state police had secured the deportation of a wanted fugitive from an African country.
- Afridi, a key figure in the Doni Bal-Prabh Dassuwal gang, arrived at New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport early Sunday, where a team of the Punjab Police Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) took him into custody.
- In a major breakthrough against organised crime, Punjab Police have secured the deportation of notorious gangster Gurwinder Singh, alias Afridi, from Ethiopia following a 10-month international manhunt conducted under Operation SHAHID.
In a major breakthrough against organised crime, Punjab Police have secured the deportation of notorious gangster Gurwinder Singh, alias Afridi, from Ethiopia following a 10-month international manhunt conducted under Operation SHAHID.
Afridi, a key figure in the Doni Bal-Prabh Dassuwal gang, arrived at New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport early Sunday, where a team of the Punjab Police Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) took him into custody.
Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav described the operation as a significant achievement, marking the first time the state police had secured the deportation of a wanted fugitive from an African country.
Afridi faces 35 criminal cases, including five murders, targeted shootings and extortion-related offences. Among the cases under investigation are the killings of Aam Aadmi Party sarpanch Rajwinder Singh, alias Raj Talwandi, in October 2024, and 12-year-old Gursewak Singh in March 2025.
He is also wanted in connection with the murders of Vicky Chugh, Jaswant Singh and Congress block president Gurmel Singh, who were killed in separate incidents during 2025.
According to investigators, Afridi allegedly continued coordinating criminal activities in Punjab while operating from foreign countries, directing targeted attacks and extortion-related violence through his associates.
Police revealed that he fled India through Mumbai airport in March 2025 using a passport fraudulently obtained under another person’s identity. His subsequent movements took him through the United Arab Emirates and several African countries, including Kenya, Angola and Ethiopia.
Investigators also uncovered an alleged attempt to use a forged Mexican passport to conceal his identity.
The operation involved extensive intelligence gathering, international surveillance and cooperation between the AGTF, Punjab Counter Intelligence’s Overseas Fugitive Tracking and Extradition Cell, central agencies and foreign authorities.
A Red Notice and multiple INTERPOL communications helped authorities track the fugitive, who was detained in Ethiopia on November 6.
The Punjab government had earlier announced a reward of ₹5 lakh for information leading to his arrest.
The development comes amid intensified efforts to dismantle criminal networks operating across international borders while maintaining links with gangs in Punjab.
Investigators are now expected to question Afridi about his alleged overseas connections, financial networks and involvement in organised criminal activities.
His return could provide crucial leads in ongoing investigations into gang violence and extortion operations across the state.
