Jalandhar: A late-night police encounter in Adampur led to the arrest of Davinder Singh alias Baja, a close aide of Pakistani gangster Shahzad Bhatti. The incident took place around 10:30 pm on Saturday near Daroli village under Adampur police station limits.
Baja, a resident of Damunda village, sustained a bullet injury to his right leg during the exchange of fire and was rushed to the government hospital in Adampur for treatment. Police officials confirmed that his condition is stable.
According to DSP Kulwant Singh, Baja opened fire when the police signaled him to stop at a naka laid on intelligence inputs. One of the bullets hit the official vehicle of the SHO. Before he could fire again, police retaliated and managed to overpower him.
Baja has been on the run for weeks and was wanted in multiple cases. On June 26, he allegedly shot Harmanpreet Singh, son of ASI Sukhwinder Singh, injuring him in the leg. More recently, on August 9, he was accused of firing at the Hoshiarpur residence of NRI influencer Simran Sikand, better known as Sam. The attack was claimed by Shahzad Bhatti, who had demanded ransom and threatened to use a grenade if his demands were not met.
Police sources said Baja’s arrest is a breakthrough in cracking down on Bhatti’s network in Punjab. Investigators believe his interrogation will shed light on how he came into contact with the Pakistan-based don and the extent of his involvement in Bhatti’s extortion operations.
Three criminal cases are already registered against him, and further charges are expected once questioning is completed. Security has been tightened in and around the hospital where he is undergoing treatment.
