Chandigarh, Nov 27 (IANS): In another major breakthrough, the Punjab Police's Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF), in a joint operation with Mohali police, apprehended two operatives of the Davinder Bambiha gang and recovered two .32 calibre pistols along with seven cartridges from their possession, Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said on Wednesday.

Those arrested have been identified as Harinder Singh, a resident of Mehmadpur village in Mohali district, and Gurjinder Singh, a resident of Varana village also in Mohali district.

DGP Yadav said the arrested accused were handled by US-based Kulveer Singh, alias Lala Benipal, an aide of absconding foreign-based gangster Lucky Patial.

Lala Benipal had earlier orchestrated two separate attacks in Mohali, including one on a financer in September 2023 and another on a rival gang member in December 2023, he added.

The DGP said preliminary investigations have revealed that the arrested duo were tasked to carry out a series of crimes in the Tricity region. Further investigations are on establish forward and backward linkages in this case, he added.

Sharing operation details, Senior Superintendent of Police, Mohali, Deepak Pareek said police teams had received reliable inputs that Lala Benipal has tasked his gang members to carry out criminal activities in the Tricity -- Chandigarh, Mohali, and Panchkula.

Acting swiftly on the information, joint teams of the AGTF and Mohali police traced the accused persons and successfully arrested them near Focal Point in Mubarakpur, he said.

The SSP said accused Harinder Singh has a criminal background with cases pertaining to attempt to murder and the Arms Act-related offences registered against him. Further investigations are ongoing to identify and arrest their other associates, he added.

A case dated November 25 has been registered under Section 111 of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 25(6)(7) and 27 of the Arms Act at Police Station Dera Bassi in Mohali.