Punjab Newsline | Chandigarh
Punjab Police has secured the deportation of fugitive gangster Gurwinder Singh alias Afridi from Ethiopia after a 10-month-long international manhunt involving multiple central and international agencies.
Announcing the development on Sunday, Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav said the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF), in close coordination with the Overseas Fugitive Tracking and Extradition Cell (OFTEC) of the Counter Intelligence wing and with the support of central agencies, successfully tracked down the accused.
Afridi, a key kingpin of the Doni Bal-Prabh Dassuwal gang, carried a reward of ₹5 lakh announced by the Punjab Government for information leading to his arrest. He is allegedly involved in orchestrating targeted killings, extortion-related firing incidents and operating organised criminal networks in Punjab while remaining abroad.
The accused is wanted in more than 30 serious criminal cases, including five murder cases, attempted murder, extortion and offences under the Arms Act.
Addressing a press conference at Punjab Police Headquarters, DGP Gaurav Yadav, accompanied by Special DGP AGTF Promod Ban and Special DGP Counter Intelligence Amit Prasad, termed the deportation a major achievement in Punjab Police's campaign against organised crime.
"This marks the first-ever deportation of a fugitive secured by Punjab Police from an African country, heralding a new chapter in the state's relentless crackdown against organised crime," Yadav said.
He said the operation, code-named Operation SHAHID, marked the successful culmination of a 10-month intelligence-led international manhunt involving sustained surveillance, strategic intelligence gathering and tracking across several countries in Asia, South America and Africa.
The operation was conducted under the supervision of IGP OFTEC Ashish Chaudhary and led by SP AGTF/OFTEC Operations Bikramjit Singh Brar.
Used Fake Passport to Flee India
Sharing details of the operation, the DGP said Gurwinder Afridi fled India from Mumbai Airport to the UAE on March 31, 2025, using a fake passport allegedly obtained fraudulently in the identity of a Gorakhpur resident.
The passport was issued from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, on February 12, 2025.
According to the DGP, the accused continued to evade law enforcement agencies across multiple continents. Initially based in the UAE, he attempted to escape to Mexico via Istanbul but was deported back to the UAE.
He subsequently moved to Kenya in April 2026, travelled to Angola in June 2026 and entered Ethiopia in November 2026.
Punjab Police had secured an INTERPOL Red Notice against him and shared intelligence regarding his fake identity and movements with central agencies at crucial stages. As many as seven INTERPOL references were also issued during the investigation.
The coordinated efforts led to his detention in Ethiopia on November 6, 2026, followed by his deportation to India. He was taken into custody by Punjab Police at New Delhi Airport and is being brought to Punjab to face legal proceedings.
The DGP commended the AGTF and OFTEC teams for their efforts and thanked the Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs and central intelligence and enforcement agencies for their cooperation in securing the deportation.
Wanted in Five High-Profile Murder Cases
Gurwinder Afridi is wanted in five major murder cases in Punjab, including:
Sarpanch Rajwinder Singh alias Raj Talwandi: October 2024.
12-year-old Gursewak Singh: March 2025.
Vicky Chugh: March 2025.
Jaswant Singh: May 2025.
Congress Block President Gurmel Singh: September 2025.
His deportation is being seen as a significant breakthrough in Punjab Police's efforts to dismantle organised criminal networks and bring fugitive gangsters operating from foreign countries to justice.
