Amidst the ongoing drive to make Punjab a safe and secure state as per the vision of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Counter Intelligence (CI) Bathinda in joint operation with Bathinda Police have averted possible target killings in the state with the arrest of three shooters associated with Gangsters Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Thursday.

Those arrested have been identified as Karandeep Singh alias Kannu of Navi Basti in Maur Mandi, Raghuveer Singh and Kulwinder Singh alias Bittu, both residents of village Kot Shamir in Bathinda. Police teams have also recovered three Pistols— including one 9mm pistol and two .32 bore pistols— along six live cartridges and six magazines from their possession, besides impounding their Hyundai Verna car.

DGP Gaurav Yadav said that acting on intel inputs that associates of Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar are planning to execute target killings in district Bathinda, Mohali and nearby areas, Police teams from CI Bathinda and Bathinda Police launched an operation and laid a joint Naka at Maur Chowk to nab the shooters.

He said that Police teams have arrested the trio accused persons when they were coming towards Bathinda from Maur in their Hyundai Verna car and recovered three pistols along with ammunition from their possession.

The DGP said that preliminary investigation has revealed that accused Karandeep Kannu was directly in touch with the Lawrence Bishnoi and the recovered weapons were meant to be used by them to carry out target killings. Further investigations are on to trace the forward and backward linkages in this case, he said.

Sharing more details, AIG CI Bathinda Avneet Kaur Sidhu said that Police teams have identified two more operatives of this module. Raids are being conducted to nab them, she added.

SSP Bathinda Deepak Pareek said that a case FIR no 72 dated 27-06-2024 has been registered under section 25 of the Arms Act at Police Station Maur in Bathinda.