Punjab Police brings back wanted gangster from Ethiopia in first African extradition

Punjab Police brought wanted gangster Gurwinder, also known as Afridi, back to India from Ethiopia on Sunday. He landed at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport early in the morning and is being taken to Punjab by an Anti-Gangster Task Force team led by SP Bikram Brar.

Details of the Fugitive

Afridi is a resident of Tut village in Tarn Taran district and carries a cash reward of five lakh rupees announced by the Punjab government. Police sources say this is the first time Punjab Police has successfully brought back a fugitive from an African country. Special DGP for the Anti-Gangster Task Force Parmod Ban and the Special DGP for Counter Intelligence are scheduled to hold a press conference later on Sunday.

Past Cases and Church Attack

Afridi's name came up during the investigation into an August 2022 attack on a church in Thakkarpura village of Tarn Taran. Four masked men had held the security guard hostage at gunpoint, broke statues of Lord Jesus and Mother Mary, and set the pastor's car on fire. Amritsar Rural Police arrested Jaswinder Singh in June 2024, and police say he named Afridi as an accomplice during questioning. Afridi was also named in a 2021 theft and arms case at Sadar Patti police station, though the High Court quashed that FIR in February 2024 after a compromise.

Context

State police forces in India have increasingly focused on tracking down criminals who escape to foreign countries after committing crimes. To handle these complex overseas operations, agencies often coordinate with central authorities and foreign law enforcement through specialized units.