Meet the policemen who tracked the most wanted

FROM LEADER WITH CBI EXPERIENCE TO A FORMER SSP OF KEY AREA, AND A ‘DABANG’ COP BEING TERMED THE ‘REAL ‘HERO’

CHANDIGARH: Having earned the praise of Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh for killing Punjab’s most-wanted gangster Vicky Gounder, the team that led the operation is currently the talk of the town.

Harjinder Singh, alias Vicky Gounder, and his aide Prema Lahoriya were killed in an encounter while Sawinder Singh, another aide of Gounder, died of injuries at the civil hospital in Abohar in Punjab’s Fazilka district, 30km from the spot that falls in Rajasthan.

Hindustan Times tracks the four key police officers involved in the investigation following which Gounder was killed during an encounter in Rajasthan’s Sriganganagar.

Having served in the Central bureau of Investigation (CBI) five years on deputation, Kishore used his personal connections in the intelligence wing of other states to get information about possible hideouts of the gangster.

GURMEET CHAUHAN, ASSISTANT IG

Former Patiala SSP, Chauhan implemented the operation that was planned at the headquarter-level and had been camping in Fazilka district since January 24 with other team members. Sources said after carrying out a recee of the area, Chauhan concluded that Gounder was not alone inside the house. He finalized the police action plan and was led from the front in the firing. Ever since Gounder fled Nabha, Chaudhan had been closely following his movements and had personally grilled one of the gangster’s friends about hideouts. Posted as Rajpura CIA in-charge, Chauhan, due to his operational skills and integrity, is counted among the blue-eyed ‘boys’ of senior officials. Son of a police officer who was gunned down by militants during Punjab’s dark terrorism days, Brar is credited with arresting most of the gangsters who planned the Nabha jailbreak. A YPS Patiala passout, he is tech-savvy officer who like staying up-todate.

SANDEEP GOYAL, ASSISTANT IG

Posted with the state police’s financial intelligence wing, Goyal’s role in the operation was to collect key technical information, such as locations of smalltime criminals in touch with Gounder. His role was specially praised in the press conference by DGP Suresh Arora. He kept a close check on the Gounder’s contacts in border districts and their movements. Goyal is the brother of a senior officer in Research and Analysis Wing.