Chandigarh, May 1 (IANS): The Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) of Punjab Police on Sunday arrested three aides of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and Canada-based gangster Goldy Brar from Bathinda town.

From the accused -- Lovepreet Singh, Himmatveer Singh Gill and Balkaran -- the police seized two .30-caliber pistols, two .32-caliber pistols along with 20 cartridges and a white i20 car.

The government has recently constituted an AGTF headed by ADGP Pramod Ban under the supervision of DGP V.K. Bhawra to intensify action against gangsters.

DIG Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said following inputs, a team from Bathinda arrested them as they were planning to extort money from a businessman of the Malwa region.

He said Sachin and Himmatveer were indulged in drug smuggling and illegal weapon trafficking in Punjab, Haryana and Delhi. They procured weapons from other states and used to deliver to their associates for target killings.

On the directions of Canada-based Gangster Goldy Brar and Anmol Bishnoi, younger brother of Lawrance Bishnoi, they were providing hideouts to absconding gangsters of the National Capital Region (NCR), the DIG said.

"Recently the Counter Intelligence unit of the special cell Delhi has arrested a wanted gangster Sharukh, who was provided a hideout in Punjab by Sachin and his associates," he added.