Chandigarh, November 8: Punjab's Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) has secured the deportation of Gurwinder alias Afridi, a key member of the Doni Bal-Prabh Dassuwal gang, from Ethiopia following a 10-month international manhunt, Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said.

Source: India Today, via News89

The operation, carried out under the name Operation SHAHID, involved the AGTF, the Overseas Fugitive Tracking and Extradition Cell (OFTEC) of Punjab's Counter Intelligence wing and central agencies. Intelligence gathering, surveillance and tracking operations were conducted across several countries in Asia, South America and Africa to locate the fugitive, India Today reported.

Source: India Today, via News89

Photographs released by the Punjab Police showed an AGTF team escorting the masked accused through Delhi airport on his return to India. Hindustan Times also reported on Sunday morning that Punjab Police had brought the wanted gangster back from Ethiopia.

Source: Hindustan Times (Nov 8), via My Press Today

The Punjab government had announced a reward of Rs 5 lakh for information leading to his arrest.

Source: India Today, via News89

What police allege Afridi was doing from abroad

According to the preliminary investigation, Gurwinder was allegedly directing targeted killings, extortion-related firing incidents and other organised criminal activities in Punjab while operating from abroad. Police describe him as a key kingpin of the Doni Bal-Prabh Dassuwal gang, which has been linked to organised criminal activities in the state. These are police allegations from a preliminary investigation; they have not been tested in court.

Source: India Today, via News89

Announcing the development, DGP Gaurav Yadav said the successful operation was the result of sustained coordination between state and central agencies, along with international cooperation. The DGP also acknowledged the role of the Ministry of External Affairs and other central agencies in facilitating the international cooperation required to secure the deportation.

Source: India Today, via News89

Part of Punjab's wider hunt for gangsters based abroad

The deportation is being viewed as a significant development in the Punjab Police's efforts to track down gang members operating from foreign countries and dismantle their networks. The force's 'Gangstran Te Vaar' campaign, launched by DGP Gaurav Yadav on January 20, 2026, entered its 291st day on November 7, when police conducted 523 raids across the state and held 174 people, according to an official Punjab Police statement.

Source: Punjab Police statement, via Bright Punjab Express

What happens next

Further details about the cases registered against Gurwinder, the specific incidents in which he is suspected to have played a role and the next steps in the investigation were not immediately available, India Today reported. He is expected to be produced before a court and questioned by Punjab Police as the investigation proceeds.