CHANDIGARH, MAY 7 — The Chandigarh Police have exposed a disturbing trend of foreign-based gangsters radicalizing and recruiting minors as contract killers through encrypted social media platforms. The revelation followed the apprehension of a Class 12 student on May 6, who was reportedly traveling to Patti in Tarn Taran to execute a murder on the orders of two gangsters operating from abroad.
The minor, whose board exam results are still pending, was intercepted by the Operations Cell during a routine patrol based on technical intelligence. Investigations revealed he was in active contact with gangsters Prabh Dasuwal and Gurvinder Singh, alias Afridi Tutanwala. Authorities stated the recruitment began on Instagram just two months ago before shifting to Telegram for operational security. The youth had originally sought the gang’s help to settle a local grudge after being assaulted by a group of peers, a vulnerability the gangsters allegedly groomed for their own ends.
“Gangsters sitting abroad are shamelessly exploiting young, innocent minors, turning personal grievances into acts of murder,” Chandigarh DGP Dr. Sagar Preet Hooda affirmed. He declared that the police intervention prevented a life from being ruined and maintained that the city would not be allowed to serve as a recruiting ground for criminal syndicates. The minor has since been returned to his parents with a recommendation for professional counseling.
The youth had previously been sent to Khemkaran to assist gang members Love Bhatti and Aman Sharma, where he initially refused to participate in a shooting because he lacked experience with firearms. However, the gang continued to pressure him, transferring money and instructing him to acquire SIM cards under fake identities. The Chandigarh Police have shared all relevant intelligence with the Punjab Police to track the remaining gang members and prevent further violence in the Patti area.
