Punjab Gangster Gurwinder Singh Afridi Deported from Ethiopia in Major Operation Shaheed Breakthrough

In a landmark international counter-terrorism and anti-gangster operation, notorious Punjab gangster Gurwinder Singh, alias Afridi, has been successfully deported from the African nation of Ethiopia and brought back to India.

The high-stakes operation, codenamed 'Operation Shaheed', was executed through a collaborative intelligence effort by the Punjab Police Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF), central security agencies, and the Overseas Fugitive Tracking and Extradition Cell (OFTEC). The intensive tracking mission spanned nearly 10 months, culminating in his detention and subsequent deportation upon landing at the Delhi airport, where state police promptly took him into custody.

A Hefty Criminal Dossier: 30 Cases and 5 Murders

According to the dossiers released by law enforcement, Gurwinder Singh Afridi’s criminal record is extensive and violent. He was a wanted fugitive facing over 30 criminal cases, including involvement in 5 high-profile murders and several instances of extortion, contract killings, and organized crime across Punjab.

To evade law enforcement, Afridi had fled India and frequently shifted his international hideouts across African nations, making his tracking a complex diplomatic and intelligence challenge. Senior police officials noted that this marks a historic milestone as the first instance where Punjab Police successfully coordinated the deportation of a wanted criminal directly from an African country.

Crackdown on Foreign-Based Gang Networks

The operation highlights the intensifying crackdown by Indian security agencies and state police forces against criminal syndicates operating from foreign soil. Under directives to dismantle organized crime networks, the AGTF—supervised by Special DGP Pramod Ban and IG Ashish Chaudhary of the Counter Intelligence Wing—has stepped up efforts to track fugitive gangsters hiding overseas.

Following his arrival, the accused is being interrogated regarding his local syndicates, financial channels, and potential links to cross-border arms smuggling networks.