Police action follows intelligence-led checks; FIRs lodged at Islamabad, Sultanwind stations
Amritsar police have arrested seven persons in two separate operations aimed at dismantling alleged cross-border drug and illegal arms supply networks, recovering illegal firearms and contraband in the city and its periphery, officials said.
Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav confirmed recoveries of 2.030 kg of heroin and said preliminary enquiries pointed to contacts between the accused and foreign-based smugglers. Two FIRs have been registered — one under the Arms Act and another under the NDPS Act — at the Islamabad and Sultanwind police stations.
The cases comprise two distinct operations. In the first, police arrested five persons and recovered pistols and heroin; in a separate Tarsikka case, two persons were detained and additional illegal pistols and live cartridges seized, according to local police accounts and media reports.
- Arrests: Seven persons in two cases.
- Drugs recovered: 2.030 kg heroin (reported by Punjab DGP).
- Firearms & ammunition: Media reports differ — the Tribune reported 10 pistols recovered, while the Punjab DGP is quoted as saying seven pistols were seized.
Names of arrested persons reported by the police include Pargat Singh (30), Janbar Singh (20) — both from Dall village in Tarn Taran — Balwinder Singh (30) of Doake village (Amritsar Rural), Amandeep Singh (37) of Sarwarpura (Amritsar) and Balwinder Singh (42) of Kot Atma Ram (Amritsar). These five were arrested in the operation linked to the heroin and several pistols, police said.
In the separate Tarsikka checkpoint operation, two youths were intercepted by patrolling teams near the road leading from the highway towards Mucchal village. They were identified as Sikander Singh of Gehri Mandi and Avinash Kumar alias Kalu of Railway Colony, Gehri Mandi. Police said a pistol without a magazine was recovered from Sikander, while two pistols and three live cartridges were recovered from Avinash; the motorcycle they were riding was also seized. A third suspect allegedly supplying the weapons is reported to be absconding.
“Acting on reliable intelligence, we arrested suspects and recovered weapons and narcotics; investigations are ongoing to trace the supply chain,”
said Amritsar Commissioner of Police Harmanbir Singh Gill, according to a police statement reported in local coverage.
Investigations to focus on cross‑border handlers and local distribution
Police said early probes indicate the arrested individuals were in touch with handlers based outside the country, allegedly procuring weapons for onward supply in parts of Amritsar and neighbouring Tarn Taran district. Teams are conducting further raids to identify other persons linked to the network and to establish buyers and routes.
Officials added that two motorcycles used in alleged criminal activity were seized. Where numbers in media accounts differed on the count of recovered pistols, the force said it was verifying recovery details as arrests progressed and more recoveries were reported from separate locations based on disclosures by the accused.
| Item | Reported recovery |
|---|---|
| Heroin | 2.030 kg (reported by Punjab DGP) |
| Illegal pistols | Figures vary: 7 (DGP statement) and 10 (Tribune report) |
| Live cartridges | 3 (Tarsikka case) |
| FIRs | Registered at Islamabad and Sultanwind police stations |
Local residents and traders in Amritsar said a surge in illegal weapons and drug trafficking has raised concerns about public safety, particularly in peripheral villages that serve as transit points. Farmers and panchayat members in adjoining rural areas have long urged stronger patrolling on arterial roads and closer coordination with border agencies to stem movement of contraband.
Police emphasised that further arrests and recoveries are likely as the probe unfolds. Teams continue to verify the forward and backward linkages of the accused to identify other persons associated with the networks and to determine the precise origin and intended destinations of the seized consignments.
