Punjab Police Achieves Historic Deportation of Notorious Gangster Afridi from Ethiopia

In a significant achievement, Punjab Police has successfully deported notorious gangster Gurwinder Afridi from Ethiopia after a lengthy 10-month international manhunt. Afridi, a key figure in organized crime, is wanted for multiple serious offenses, including murder and extortion. His capture marks a historic first for Punjab Police in securing a deportation from an African nation. The operation, dubbed 'Operation SHAHID,' involved extensive international cooperation and intelligence gathering. DGP Gaurav Yadav emphasized the message that criminals will not find safe havens, urging youth to avoid criminal influences. This operation highlights the relentless efforts of law enforcement in combating organized crime.

By Narendra Chaudhary Nov 8, 2026, 19:26 IST

Historic Deportation of Gangster Afridi

Chandigarh: The Punjab Police, in collaboration with central agencies, has successfully deported the wanted gangster Gurwinder, also known as Afridi, from Ethiopia after an extensive 10-month international manhunt.

On the night of November 7-8, authorities apprehended him at the Delhi airport, and he is now being transported back to Punjab to face legal proceedings, officials confirmed on Sunday.

Punjab's Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav announced that this is the first instance of Punjab Police securing the deportation of a fugitive from an African nation.

The Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) worked closely with the Overseas Fugitive Tracking and Extradition Cell (OFTEC) of Counter Intelligence, along with central agencies, to facilitate the deportation of Gurwinder Singh alias Afridi.

Afridi is believed to be a significant figure in the Doni Bal-Prabh Dassuwal gang and had a bounty of Rs 5 lakh placed by the Punjab government for information leading to his capture. He was allegedly orchestrating targeted killings and extortion activities while operating from abroad.

He is implicated in over 30 serious criminal cases, including five murders, attempted murder, extortion, and violations of the Arms Act.

The police detailed that Afridi is wanted for five high-profile murder cases in Punjab, including the deaths of Sarpanch Rajwinder alias Raj Talwandi (October 2024), 12-year-old Gursewak Singh (March 2025), Vicky Chugh (March 2025), Jaswant Singh (May 2025), and Congress Block President Gurmel Singh (September 2025).

DGP Yadav, accompanied by Special DGP (AGTF) Promod Ban and Special DGP (Counter Intelligence) Amit Prasad, stated, "This marks a significant milestone in Punjab's ongoing battle against organized crime."

He elaborated that this operation, dubbed 'Operation SHAHID,' was a result of a 10-month intelligence-driven international pursuit involving extensive surveillance and strategic intelligence sharing across multiple continents.

Operation SHAHID was conducted under the guidance of IGP (OFTEC) Ashish Chaudhary and led by SP (AGTF/OFTEC OPs) Bikramjit Singh Brar.

Yadav revealed that Afridi had fled from Mumbai to the UAE on March 31, 2025, using a fraudulent passport obtained under a Gorakhpur resident's details.

He evaded law enforcement across various continents, initially hiding in the UAE before attempting to escape to Mexico via Istanbul, only to be sent back to the UAE.

Eventually, he made his way to Kenya in April 2026, then to Angola in June 2026, and finally to Ethiopia in November 2026, where he was captured.

The Punjab Police had issued a Red Notice against Afridi and provided crucial information about his false identity and movements to central agencies, resulting in seven INTERPOL references.

The relentless efforts of multiple agencies culminated in his detention in Ethiopia on November 6, 2026, followed by his deportation to India. He was taken into custody by Punjab Police at New Delhi Airport and is now being brought back to Punjab.

DGP Yadav praised the dedication of the AGTF and OFTEC teams and expressed gratitude to the Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs, and central intelligence agencies for their cooperation in this successful deportation.

He emphasized that the Punjab Police's message is clear: criminals will not find safe havens and will face justice.

Yadav also addressed the issue of youth being misled by social media, urging them to avoid criminal influences and consider surrendering to the law for a more lenient approach.

He noted the involvement of juveniles in criminal activities and cautioned them against falling prey to criminal elements who exploit social media for recruitment.

The OFTEC was established in January to expedite deportations and extraditions, having successfully acted against 25 fugitives so far.

Since the AGTF's formation in April 2022, there have been 3,339 arrests, 1,293 criminal modules dismantled, and the recovery of over 2,500 weapons and 755 vehicles, according to Yadav.

In response to a question regarding Pakistan's involvement, the DGP stated that the neighboring country consistently seeks to create unrest and uses proxy warfare to undermine India.

Regarding the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances (PIT NDPS) Act, he mentioned that the Punjab government has empowered eight IG rank officers to act as detaining authorities, similar to measures in Telangana and Karnataka.