Chandigarh: Police busted an interstate criminal network linked to gangster Deepak Nandal, who is based abroad, with the arrest of four suspects. They were reportedly on their way to Gurugram to carry out a firing and extortion bid targeting a realtor.The arrests led to the recovery of a Turkish Zigana pistol and two Chinese PX-3 pistols, along with two magazines and 19 live cartridges, police said. An alleged arms supplier from Amritsar was also arrested in the case.SP (Operations) Geetanjali Khandelwal said an operations cell team intercepted Ajay, 19, Rohit, 18, and Dev, 18, all residents of Jind, Haryana, near the Sector 31 police station during checking. She added that the weapons and ammunition were allegedly recovered from them.Police said preliminary questioning revealed the suspects’ links with the Deepak Nandal gang. Investigators subsequently arrested Nishan Singh, 32, a resident of Kakkar village in Amritsar district, who is suspected of supplying weapons to the gang.Police said Ajay, Rohit and Dev were allegedly travelling to Gurugram to carry out an extortion-related firing. They are suspected of having studied the movements of the intended target. The identity of the target and the involvement of others are being investigated.Pak link under scannerAccording to the police, the investigation has uncovered a suspected cross-border arms supply chain. Nishan allegedly maintained contact with an arms supplier based in Pakistan and received weapons that were allegedly dropped by drones in Punjab’s fields. The weapons were then purportedly collected and transported to gang members, investigators said.Police are now trying to establish the identity of the alleged Pakistan-based supplier and ascertain whether earlier consignments were brought into India through the same route.Investigators said the gang allegedly recruited young men by promising them substantial financial rewards. None of the four arrested accused has a previous criminal record, they added.Ajay, who worked as a helper at a car factory in Jind, allegedly introduced Rohit and Dev to the gang, police said. Rohit reportedly worked at an electrical shop, while Dev was employed as a shop helper.Nishan allegedly runs a dairy in Kakkar village. Police suspect he used the business as a cover while facilitating the receipt and distribution of weapons allegedly smuggled across the border through drones.The arrests, police said, may have prevented a planned act of violence and extortion in Gurugram. Investigators are now probing the gang’s wider network, previous weapon consignments, and whether the recovered firearms were used in any criminal activity.
