2 Goldy Brar associates held after encounter in Mohali

Mohali police on Saturday arrested two operatives of foreign-based gangster-turned-terrorist Goldy Brar following exchange of fire near the railway under-bridge located on the Ambala–Dera Bassi highway.

A .32-calibre pistol, along with four cartridges, was also recovered from the accused Kartik Singh, alias Ravi, a resident of Naraingarh, and Deepak, alias Deepu, of Jagadhri in Haryana, currently residing in Dera Bassi, who had allegedly sought ₹50 lakh as extortion money from an immigration consultancy-cum-IELTS centre located metres away from the Dera Bassi police station.

Ravi, according to police, suffered a bullet injury in the left leg during retaliatory firing by police after the accused shot two bullets at the police vehicle in a bid to flee.

Mohali SSP Deepak Pareek said the duo had been tasked with opening fire at an immigration office located on College Road, Dera Bassi, on the directions of their handlers Goldy Brar and Bhanu Rana.

“Acting on credible/specific inputs, police teams successfully intercepted and apprehended them before they could execute the attack/target the victim,” said the SSP.

The police official added that the Goldy Brar gang had thrown an extortion slip demanding ₹50 lakh at the said immigration office on April 8, following which a FIR was registered under Sections 308 (2), 351 (1), and 351(3) of BNS at the Dera Bassi police station.

“After the crime, the accused were identified through technical and human intelligence. A team, under the supervision of SP (Rural) Manpreet Singh and Dera Bassi DSP Bikramjit Singh Brar, gathered clues and CCTV footage from the area that led to successful identification of one of the accused,” he said.

Providing operational insights, the SSP said on Saturday, a tip-off was received about the duo’s movement and their plan to execute the attack.

“Acting swiftly, a trap was laid near the railway under-bridge on the Ambala-Dera Bassi highway to intercept and nab them. During the operation, the accused opened fire at the police team in an attempt to evade arrest. In the retaliatory action, accused Ravi sustained a bullet injury on the left leg,” Pareek added.

As per preliminary probe, both accused came in contact with Brar through Bhanu Rana, a native of Yamunanagar, who is presently based in the US. “This immigration office was also targeted by the same gang in September 2024,” the SSP said.

A fresh FIR under Sections 103 of BNS and Section 25 (6)(7) of the Arms Act was registered at the Lalru police station.