Punjab Police brought fugitive gangster Gurwinder alias Afridi back to India from Ethiopia on Sunday, ending a ten-month global manhunt across three continents.
Afridi, a designated kingpin in the Doni Bal–Prabh Dassuwal syndicate, carried a ₹5 lakh cash bounty on his head. The Anti-Gangster Task Force and the Overseas Fugitive Tracking and Extradition Cell of Punjab Counter Intelligence tracked him through central intelligence channels. The Ministry of External Affairs coordinated with Ethiopian authorities to clear his immediate removal. The trap snapped shut.
Specialized units code-named the mission Operation SHAHID. For ten straight months, state counter-intelligence operatives tracked Afridi’s movements through safehouses and transit corridors spanning Asia, South America, and Africa. Investigators found he continually altered his digital footprint, relying on cross-border logistics to evade local law enforcement while issuing operational orders back home.
Police say he ran extortion rackets from afar. Gunmen carried out his orders in Punjab, targeting businessmen and rivals in drive-by shootings designed to terrify local communities.
Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav confirmed the breakthrough, crediting sustained multi-agency coordination for tracking Afridi down and securing his physical surrender in Addis Ababa. State intelligence dossiers allege Afridi served as the operational pivot for the Doni Bal–Prabh Dassuwal network, arranging weapons drops, selecting murder targets, and funneling illicit extortion payoffs abroad through clandestine conduits.
| Case Parameter | Official Status |
|---|---|
| Accused | Gurwinder alias Afridi |
| Gang Affiliation | Doni Bal–Prabh Dassuwal Syndicate |
| Government Reward | ₹5 Lakh |
| Special Operation | Operation SHAHID (10-Month Manhunt) |
| Extradition / Deportation Point | Ethiopia |
Detectives will present Afridi before a magistrate to secure multi-day police custody. The interrogation will center on untangling his communications log, tracing hawala payment pipelines, and identifying local shooters still on the syndicate's payroll.