Punjab Newsline | Ferozepur
In a major breakthrough in the Ferozepur shopkeeper murder case, the Punjab Police's Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF), in coordination with Ferozepur Police and Jammu & Kashmir Police, has arrested two alleged shooters involved in the killing of a local businessman. The accused were apprehended during a joint operation in Jammu & Kashmir, and a firearm used in criminal activities was also recovered from their possession.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Vishnu Kumar, a resident of Rupbas in Rajasthan’s Bharatpur district, and Rahul Mahawar, a resident of Anantpura in Kota district. Police recovered a .30 bore Beretta pistol along with 10 live cartridges from the accused.
The case relates to the murder of Gurcharan Singh Gaba, owner of Gaba General Store in Makhu, Ferozepur. On June 1, 2026, two assailants allegedly arrived on a motorcycle and opened fire, shooting Gaba three times before fleeing the scene. The incident had created panic in the area and prompted an intensive investigation by law enforcement agencies.
Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said preliminary investigations revealed that accused Vishnu Kumar has a significant criminal history. Cases related to extortion, robbery, dacoity, theft and violations of the Arms Act have reportedly been registered against him. He was also carrying a reward of ₹10,000 announced by the Rajasthan Police. The DGP said further investigations are underway to uncover all aspects of the case.
Providing details of the operation, ADGP AGTF Promod Ban said a special mission codenamed “Hill Trap” was launched immediately after the murder. Under the supervision of DSP Rajan Parminder Singh, AGTF teams conducted extensive raids across Rajasthan and developed critical human intelligence inputs regarding the suspects' whereabouts.
Based on these leads, police traced the accused to Jammu & Kashmir. A joint team comprising AGTF Punjab, Ferozepur Police and J&K Police launched a coordinated operation and established checkpoints in the region. The suspects were eventually intercepted near the Patnitop-Kud Road in the jurisdiction of Police Station Kud.
According to police officials, the accused attempted to evade arrest when confronted by the security teams. However, the police successfully overpowered and apprehended both suspects. The weapon and ammunition recovered from them have been taken into custody for forensic examination.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ferozepur Bhupinder Singh Sidhu said investigators are now focusing on uncovering the larger conspiracy behind the murder. Police are examining whether other individuals were involved in planning, financing or facilitating the attack.
A case has already been registered at Makhu Police Station under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Arms Act. Further investigation is in progress.
