Who Were the Father-Son Pair Arrested for the Targeted Shooting in Punjab?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Punjab Police's AGTF has made significant arrests.
- A targeted shooting occurred at a jewellery shop.
- The suspects were found with a firearm.
- Extortion demands were made post-incident.
- Ongoing investigations include a link to narcotics smuggling.
Chandigarh, Oct 23 (NationPress) In a significant development, the Punjab Police's Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) apprehended Krishan Gopal along with his son Keshav in connection with a targeted shooting incident that occurred at a jewellery store in Hoshiarpur, as reported by Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on Thursday.
The authorities recovered a .32 caliber pistol along with cartridges from the suspects and seized the motorcycle they were using.
DGP Yadav stated that the duo was implicated in a shooting incident at Ganpati Jewellers, which unfolded on October 18, when two gunmen on motorcycles opened fire at the shop.
In the aftermath of the shooting, the shop owner received a threatening call from an unidentified foreign number, demanding an extortion payment of Rs 20 lakh, he added.
A case has been filed under sections 336, 324 (4), and 3 (5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), as well as Section 25 of the Arms Act at the police station in Mahilpur.
The DGP mentioned that further investigations are ongoing.
Providing insights into the operation, Additional Director General of Police (AGTF) Promod Ban stated that following the jewellery shop attack, police teams from AGTF and Hoshiarpur district, under the guidance of DIG Sandeep Goel and Senior Superintendent of Police Sandeep Malik, conducted both human and technical investigations to identify the suspects.
Acting quickly, AGTF and Hoshiarpur Police teams intercepted the suspects in Mehdoodpur village within Hoshiarpur district, where the suspects opened fire on the police in an attempt to evade capture, but were ultimately subdued after a brief exchange of gunfire. A new FIR has been lodged under Sections 109, 221, 132, and 3 (5) of the BNS, along with Section 25 of the Arms Act at the Mahilpur police station.
Earlier in the day, the Amritsar Commissionerate Police executed an intelligence-driven operation, dismantling a cross-border narcotics smuggling network linked to Pakistan, leading to the arrest of drug kingpin Rajpal Singh and the seizure of 5.025 kg of heroin.
Preliminary inquiries indicated that the arrested individual was managing a cross-border operation associated with a handler based in Pakistan, using the Dera Baba Nanak sector to retrieve drug consignments.