Ludhiana police have uncovered a network where gangsters based overseas are using social media platforms to recruit local youth into their criminal activities. The revelation came after the arrest of two associates of notorious gangsters Doni Bal and Arsh Bagga, who were found to be in contact with criminal elements abroad and were planning to target local industrialists for extortion.
Arrests and Recovered Weapons
The two accused, identified as Sukhwinder Singh, alias Raji Neela, and Rajveer Singh, alias Raji, were arrested with illegal weapons. Police recovered two .30-bore pistols and nine live cartridges from them. The weapons were reportedly supplied by Doni Bal and Arsh Bagga. During interrogation, the suspects revealed they were tasked with killing a businessperson and were promised Rs 1 lakh in return.
Modus Operandi of Recruitment
According to a senior police official, gangsters are contacting youngsters through social media, offering money and drugs to recruit them. The officials noted that the gangsters specifically target unemployed and drug-addicted youth. They first gain the trust of these youngsters through casual conversation and then lure them into crime with the promise of easy money. The police official stated, “The gangsters have been recruiting youngsters who are unemployed and drug addicts. They convince them to become a part of their gang, offering money and drugs in exchange.”
Cybercrime Wing on Alert
The cybercrime wing of Ludhiana police has identified multiple social media accounts of youngsters suspected to be in touch with gangsters and criminal elements living abroad. A senior police official explained, “From time to time, the cyber wing scans suspicious social media profiles. The team keeps tabs on profiles on Facebook, Instagram, X and other social media platforms, and keeps a check on the movement of these suspects for weeks, sometimes even months, before reaching a conclusion. After obtaining contact numbers linked to the profiles, the police scan call details. If they get a clue about the connection of suspicious profiles with gangsters, action is taken accordingly.”
Planned Action Against Gangster Profiles
The police are compiling a list of profiles created in the names of gangsters on social media. Plans are underway to write to relevant authorities to order the shutdown of such profiles. Sources said the list includes several local youngsters whose profiles are under police radar. The police are also increasing surveillance to prevent further recruitment and to dismantle the network of gangsters operating from overseas.
