Mastermind and three accomplices arrested

NABHA JAILBREAK

THE ALLEGED mastermind of the Nabha jailbreak, Gurpreet Singh Sekhon, 27, was arrested on Sunday by the counter-intelligence wing of Punjab Police in a joint operation with Patiala and Moga police. He was arrested from Dhudike village in Moga district.

In an operation that began around 1 pm, heavy police deployment was ensured before raiding a house at Dhudike where four of the arrested gangsters were hiding. The three others arrested were Manvir Sekhon alias Mani, the cousin of Gurpreet Sekhon, Rajwinder Raja alias Sultan of Mangeywala and Kulwinder Singh alias Bhimbri of Sidana.

While police claimed that there was no firing from either side, residents of Dhudike said eight to 10 rounds were fired as police chased the gangsters, who had taken shelter in a house belonging to a person named Goldy.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Gurmeet Singh Chauhan, AIG, counter-intelligence wing, said, “The raid was conducted following a tip-off. We had inputs that these gangsters were moving around in the area. Also, there were inputs of them staying at a house in Dhudike. We conducted the raid in a planned manner and forces blocked all routes to the village. There was no firing. None of the four suspects is injured.”

Chauhan added that weapons including four pistols were recovered. “We have also recovered two vehicles from them. They are being thoroughly checked for more weapons,” Chauhan said.

Booked in over 13 FIRS, including murder and attempt to murder, Sekhon is the prime accused in rival Sukha Kahlwan’s murder case.

Of the six gangsters who escaped from Nabha jail on November 27, Sekhon is the third to be arrested.