A fugitive gangster wanted in triple murder and narcotics trafficking cases was deported and subsequently arrested on Thursday, said Punjab director general of police Gaurav Yadav.
Punjab Police, with the active support of central agencies, arrested Bhuvnesh Chopra, alias Ashish, after he was deported from a central Asian country and arrested upon his arrival at the international airport in Delhi to face charges in numerous heinous crimes, the DGP said.
People privy to the matter in a central agency said Chopra was deported from Azerbaijan.
Constituted on the directions of chief minister Bhagwant Mann, the newly-established Overseas Fugitive Tracking and Extradition Cell (OFTEC) working under the internal security wing has played a pivotal role in this operation.
The DGP said that to track and restrict international movements of Chopra, a Red Notice (Red Corner Notice) and lookout circular (LoC) were issued.
According to police records, Chopra, a resident of Ferozepur, was a key figure wanted in connection with high-profile crimes, including the sensational Ferozepur triple murder and multiple narcotics trafficking cases. The accused has been facing at least nine FIRs in Ferozepur, Fazilka and Patiala.
The DGP said that Chopra was a major facilitator of narcotics smuggling from Pakistan into Punjab and had managed to escape abroad to evade law.
He said beyond drug trafficking, Chopra has also been the prime conspirator behind the August 2024 triple murder in Ferozepur, in which a young girl and two others lost their lives following a rivalry between Chopra and one of the victims, Dildeep Singh.
Yadav said that Chopra’s arrest is expected to disrupt the logistics network of drug consignments entering Ferozepur and neighbouring border districts of Punjab, dealing a major blow to cross-border narcotics trafficking operations.
