Two Bambiha Gang Members Held with Arms Cache; Crackdown on Organized Crime Intensifies in Punjab
CHANDIGARH, Oct 12: In a major breakthrough against organized crime networks, Punjab Police on Sunday arrested two associates of the notorious Bambiha gang and recovered a cache of sophisticated weapons from their possession. The arrests were made in a joint operation by the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) and Barnala Police, reinforcing the state’s intensified efforts to dismantle gang-related syndicates operating across the region.
The arrested individuals, identified as Sandeep Singh and Sekher, were apprehended following credible intelligence inputs linking them to illegal arms activities. According to Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav, police teams recovered six pistols, including one PX5, four pistols of .32 bore, one pistol of .30 bore, and 19 live cartridges during the operation. “The operation was part of an ongoing crackdown on organized crime. The arrested men are active members of the Bambiha gang and were working on the directions of their foreign handlers,” DGP Yadav said in a statement posted on X.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the duo was tasked with supplying weapons to foot soldiers of the Bambiha gang to execute planned attacks in Punjab. Police believe the weapons were intended for “high-profile crimes” designed to spread fear and challenge law enforcement. “Their interrogation has already led to crucial leads regarding the gang’s supply network. We are actively identifying and tracing the backward and forward linkages of this syndicate,” DGP Yadav added, emphasizing that further arrests are likely as the probe progresses.
The Punjab Police have been conducting targeted operations across the state to curb gang violence and illegal arms trade, which have surged in recent years due to cross-border smuggling and online weapon procurement networks. The Bambiha gang, in particular, has been linked to several violent crimes, including extortion, contract killings, and drug trafficking. The fresh arrests, officials said, reflect the ongoing policy of “zero tolerance” against organized crime and the state’s resolve to strengthen intelligence-led policing to prevent criminal coordination between domestic gangs and overseas handlers.
