Chandigarh [India], August 14 : In a major breakthrough amidst the ongoing drive against organised crime launched on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Punjab Police's Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) has arrested two most-wanted operatives of Lawrence Bishnoi gang from Patiala-Ambala Highway near village Shambhu and recovered an Austria-made 9mm Glock pistol along with six live cartridges from their possession, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Thursday.
Those arrested have been identified as Akshay Delu and Ankit Bishnoi alias Kakkar, both residents of village Khairpur in Abohar, Fazilka. The arrested accused persons were operating on the instructions of their foreign-based handlers identified as Anmol Bishnoi and Arzoo Bishnoi.
DGP Gaurav Yadav said that preliminary investigation revealed that they fled to Nepal after committing the murder and returned on the directions of their foreign-based handlers to commit a sensational crime in Punjab.
He said that both the accused persons have an extensive criminal history with over 15 heinous crime cases pertaining to murder, attempt to murder, extortion, Arms Act, and NDPS Act registered against them in Punjab, Delhi, Rajasthan and Gujarat. They were also wanted in the recent murder of Bharat Ratan alias Vicky, which took place in Fazilka on May 2, 2025, he added.
The DGP said that further investigations are ongoing to establish forward and backwards linkages in this case.
Sharing operational details, ADGP AGTF Promod Ban stated that a tip-off was received regarding the duo's attempt to enter the state.
Acting swiftly on the intelligence, special teams were formed, who tracked down the accused persons on the Ambala-Patiala Highway and apprehended them near Village Shambu in an early morning operation, said the ADGP, while adding that a sophisticated weapon was recovered from their possession.
Sharing the modus operandi of the gang, DIG AGTF Gurmeet Chauhan said that after executing the criminal task given by their handlers, this gang usually flee to Nepal and uses hideouts provided by their gang associates or foreign handlers.
In this regard, a case FIR No. 6 dated 14/8/25 has been registered under section 111 (3)(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and section 25 (6)(7) of the Arms Act at Police Station Punjab State Crime in SAS Nagar.