BATALA FIRING INCIDENT: PUNJAB POLICE IN JOINT OP WITH WEST BENGAL POLICE & CENTRAL AGENCY ARREST MAIN ACCUSED FROM INDO-BHUTAN BORDER

— PUNJAB POLICE COMMITTED TO MAINTAINING PEACE AND HARMONY IN THE STATE AS PER DIRECTIONS OF CM BHAGWANT MANN

— ARRESTED ACCUSED WAS RECEIVING FUNDS FROM FOREIGN-BASED HANDLERS, SAYS DGP GAURAV YADAV

— POLICE TEAMS ARE ON MANHUNT TO ARREST REMAINING ABSCONDING ACCUSED PERSONS

CHANDIGARH/BATALA, July 7:

          Amidst the ongoing drive to make Punjab a safe and secure state as per the vision of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Counter Intelligence Wing of Punjab Police in a joint operation with Central Agency and West Bengal Police have solved the Batala firing incident case after arresting the main accused from Indo-Bhutan Border in Alipurduar district in West Bengal, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Friday.

          The 21-years-old arrested accused has a criminal background and he was out on a bail in a murder case.

          According to the information, Rajeev Mahajan, his brother Anil Gupta and his son Manav Gupta had sustained bullet injuries after two assailants barged into their electronics shop at Lakkar Mandi in Batala on June 24, 2023, and opened fire at them.

          DGP Gaurav Yadav said that based on technical inputs and evidence, the Counter Intelligence, Punjab had located the accused person in the Alipurduar district of West Bengal. “Batala Police immediately dispatched a team for West Bengal, and also shared the pinpointed information with them,” he said.

          He said that the Punjab Police in coordination with Central agency and West Bengal Police have arrested the accused person from Indo-Bhutan Border. He also thanked DGP of West Bengal for extending all kind of cooperation.

          “The preliminary investigations revealed that the entire module was being handled from abroad and the arrested accused was receiving funds from foreign-based handlers to commit these kind of crimes,” said the DGP, while adding that investigation to establish a money trail is going on.

          SSP Batala Ashwini Gotyal said that the Police are working on different leads and efforts are on to nab remaining accused persons in this case. Further investigations are on, she added.

          An FIR no. 103 dated 24/6/2023 was registered under sections 452, 307 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and section 25 of the Arms Act at Police Station City Batala.