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A fugitive wanted in a triple murder case and multiple narcotics trafficking cases was deported from abroad and apprehended by Punjab Police, officials said on Thursday. To monitor and restrict his international movement, a Red Corner Notice and a Look-Out Circular had earlier been issued against him.

 

“In a major breakthrough against cross-border organised crime, Punjab Police, with the active support of central agencies arrests fugitive Bhuvnesh Chopra @Ashish, a key accused wanted in the sensational #Ferozepur triple murder and multiple narcotics trafficking cases,” Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said in a post on X.

 

He said sustained international coordination helped authorities trace Chopra’s location to a Central Asian country. He was later deported and arrested upon arrival at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi. The police did not disclose the name of the country immediately.

 

According to the DGP, Bhuvnesh Chopra alias Ashish was a major facilitator in the smuggling of narcotics from Pakistan into Punjab. He had earlier fled abroad to evade arrest. He added that apart from drug trafficking, Chopra was also the main conspirator in the triple murder that took place in Ferozepur in August 2024. A young girl and two others were killed in the incident, which was linked to a rivalry between Chopra and one of the victims, Dildeep Singh.

 

The DGP said Chopra’s arrest is part of a larger crackdown by Punjab Police on foreign-based handlers and fugitives who operate criminal networks from abroad. He added that the newly constituted Overseas Fugitive Tracking and Extradition Cell (OFTEC) played a key role in the operation.

 

The police believe that Chopra’s arrest will significantly disrupt the logistics network used to smuggle drug consignments into Ferozepur and nearby border districts of Punjab, dealing a major blow to cross-border narcotics trafficking. “Punjab Police remains committed to ensuring that criminals and fugitives from the law, whether hiding in India or abroad, are brought back to face justice,” the DGP said.

 

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