Chandigarh: Punjab police on Wednesday claimed to have nabbed two key operatives of the Lawrence Bishnoi-Goldy Brar gang after a hot chase and an encounter in a Jalandhar area.

Commissioner of Police, Jalandhar Commissionerate, Swapan Sharma said that the two dreaded gangsters were arrested after a fierce encounter in which one of them was injured. Stating that that police had got a tip off that two key members of the Lawrence Bishnoi-Goldy Brar gang, Balraj Singh and Pawan Kumar, were in the city, the police teams set up special check points, Sharma said that during the checking, the police attempted to stop the suspicious car but Balraj Singh suddenly opened fire on the police.

However, after the police retaliated Balraj Singh sustained bullet injuries, he said and added that the second accused, Pawan Kumar, tried to flee from the spot but was nabbed shortly afterward. Sharma said that police subsequently recovered 4 pistols, several cartridges and a Hyundai i20 car from them.

1 HELD WITH 5 KG HEROIN

Meanwhile, in another development, the Tarn Taran police claimed to have busted a Pakistan-backed drug trafficking cartel with the arrest of a kingpin and seized 5 kg heroin from his possession.

Director General of Police (DGP), Punjab, Gaurav Yadav said that the arrested accused, identified as Rashpal Singh, was in direct contact with multiple Pakistan-based smugglers and had been receiving consignments of drugs from across the border. Probe revealed that the Pak-based smugglers were exploiting drones to ferry drugs across the border, he added.

Police conducted a targeted operation and nabbed Rashpal Singh from near village Bhai Ladhu and recovered 5 kg heroin from his possession.