Fugitive wanted in murder, narcotics trafficking cases held after deportation

The North News

Chandigarh, March 12

The Punjab Police on Thursday said that a fugitive wanted in a triple murder and narcotics trafficking cases has been deported to India and arrested.

The suspect, identified as Bhuvnesh Chopra, was detained on arrival at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi after being traced in a Central Asian country.

According to Gaurav Yadav, the operation involved coordination between Punjab Police and central agencies to track the suspect’s movements abroad.

To monitor and restrict his international travel, authorities had earlier issued a Interpol Red Notice along with a Look-Out Circular.

Police further said that Chopra is a key accused in the August 2024 triple murder in Ferozepur, where a young girl and two others were killed. Investigators say the killings were linked to a rivalry between Chopra and one of the victims, Dildeep Singh.

Officials also allege that Chopra played a major role in facilitating the smuggling of narcotics from Pakistan into Punjab before fleeing the country.

Punjab Police said the arrest was made with the help of its Overseas Fugitive Tracking and Extradition Cell (OFTEC), a unit set up to track suspects operating from abroad.

Authorities say the arrest could disrupt drug smuggling networks operating in border districts such as Ferozepur.