The Punjab Police on Monday detained Lavish Kumar, a close associate of foreign-based gangsters Arsh Dalla and Jindi Mehandipuria. Lavish was arrested in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, during a joint operation conducted by Counter Intelligence Jalandhar and the Hoshiarpur Police, with assistance from the Gujarat Police.
According to Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav, Lavish Kumar was acting on instructions from Arsh Dalla and was involved in multiple serious offences, including firing incidents intended to intimidate victims and extort money. Several criminal cases, including murder and attempted extortion through gunfire, are already registered against him.
Preliminary investigations have revealed that Kumar recently conducted reconnaissance of a liquor contractor, whom he allegedly targeted with a ₹50 lakh extortion demand. He was reportedly in regular contact with foreign-based handlers and was planning a high-profile criminal act in Punjab.
“This arrest is a significant step in our ongoing campaign against terrorist-gangster networks with international links,” DGP Yadav stated in a post on X.
Police officials said the investigation is ongoing, with efforts underway to identify other operatives associated with the network and establish both backward and forward linkages to dismantle the broader nexus.
Follow us
