Punjab Police brings back wanted gangster from Ethiopia
What's the story
The Punjab Police has successfully brought back wanted gangster Gurwinder Singh, alias Afridi, from Ethiopia. The notorious criminal landed at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in Delhi early Sunday morning, Hindustan Times reported. He is now being escorted to Punjab by a team from the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF), led by AGTF Superintendent of Police Bikram Brar.
Historic operation
First-ever fugitive brought back from an African country
This operation is the first time that the Punjab Police has managed to bring back a fugitive from an African country.
The operation was named "Operation Shaheed" and was executed by AGTF in collaboration with OFTEC and central agencies.
Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said preliminary investigations revealed that Afridi had been running criminal operations in Punjab from abroad.
Global crime spree
Accused of several high-profile killings
Afridi, a resident of Tut village in Tarn Taran district, was wanted in over 30 serious criminal cases. These included five murder cases and offenses under the Arms Act.
He is accused of high-profile killings such as the murders of AAP sarpanch Rajwinder Singh and Congress block president Gurmel Singh.
The gangster left India on March 31, 2025, using a passport issued in Lucknow on February 12, 2025, using the identity of a resident of Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh.
International pursuit
Details of his international journey
After leaving India, Afridi first went to the UAE and then tried to reach Mexico via Istanbul but was unsuccessful. He later traveled through Kenya and Angola before arriving in Ethiopia.
The Punjab Police had issued a Red Corner Notice against him during his international pursuit, which involved tracking his movements across Asia, South America, and Africa with help from the Ministry of External Affairs and other central agencies.
Criminal charges
Afridi's name came up during church attack investigation
Afridi's name also came up during the investigation of an August 31, 2022, attack on a church in Tarn Taran.
Jaswinder Singh alias Munshi was arrested in June 2024 and named Afridi as one of his accomplices.
The gangster is now being taken to Punjab for further questioning and investigation into his alleged involvement in various cases.