Khanna, June 19: Gangster Gagandeep Singh, alias Garry Lalton and known on the streets as “Ravan,” was shot in the leg during a police encounter near Bhattian railway area in Khanna on Wednesday after he allegedly opened fire on officers during a weapon recovery operation.
The 26-year-old accused, who had been arrested a day earlier for his role in a gang war outside a local hotel, was being taken to recover a pistol he claimed to have hidden when the situation escalated. Police said he retrieved a concealed firearm from a bush and fired at officers, narrowly missing them, before being shot and subdued.
“The gangster attempted to attack our team while we were recovering a weapon based on his own disclosure. His intentions were clear, but our team acted swiftly and decisively,” said Jyoti Yadav, senior superintendent of police (SSP), Khanna.
According to officials, the operation was led by Inspector Tarvinder Bedi, station house officer (SHO) of City Police Station-2, who sustained minor injuries in the brief gunfire exchange. Garry, now hospitalised at the Khanna civil hospital under police watch, faces fresh charges including attempt to murder, assault on public servants, and illegal possession of arms.
Garry had been under surveillance since June 15, when a violent clash broke out between his gang and rival Sukhvir Bhucha’s group in Khanna. The gunfight, reportedly rooted in a personal dispute over a woman, led to the arrest of Garry and four others on Tuesday.
During interrogation, Garry confessed to stashing a weapon near the railway tracks in Bhattian. The recovery attempt turned confrontational when he tried to attack the escorting officers.
Police describe Garry as a key figure in Punjab’s criminal underworld. Superintendent of police (investigation) Pawanjit confirmed that Lalton is already facing multiple cases, including assault and weapons possession. His accomplice Amardesh alias Garry is booked in two FIRs across Fatehgarh Sahib and Ludhiana Rural, while Pawandeep Singh alias Lovi of Kokri Kalan village and Gurpreet Singh of Dalla village are also under trial for assault and kidnapping, respectively. Gurpreet had previously been declared a proclaimed offender. Prabhjot Singh alias Shaifi of Randhawa village, affiliated with the rival Bhucha gang, is among those already arrested.
Officers believe the arrests mark a significant advance in dismantling organised crime in the region. “This is part of our broader crackdown on gangs operating across Punjab,” SSP Yadav said, adding that further interrogation could reveal more about the networks involved in the June 15 clash and other criminal conspiracies.
