Mohali, July 25: Ishmeet Singh, who joined the Indian Army as an Agniveer in November 2022, has made headlines for all the wrong reasons. After taking leave from his military duties, Ishmeet abandoned his service and got involved in a criminal gang specialising in theft and robbery. He, along with his brother and friend, formed a gang that was involved in a series of highway robberies and vehicle thefts. Their criminal activities came to light when Mohali police cracked down on the gang, leading to their arrest. The gang’s operations involved hijacking vehicles at gunpoint and using fake number plates to conceal their tracks.

In a series of events, Ishmeet, who was serving in the Indian Army as an Agniveer in West Bengal, took a leave of absence about two months ago. Instead of returning to service, Ishmeet rented a room in Balongi, where he, his brother Prabhdeep Singh, and friend Balkaran Singh established a criminal gang. They began their criminal operations by procuring illegal weapons and targeting vehicles for theft. Punjab Shocker: Man Suffers Gunshot Wound, Two Others Injured After Fight Between Groups in Phagwara.

Their criminal activities came to a head on July 20, when they committed a brazen theft of a taxi near Chapparchiri. According to a Times of India report, the gang booked the taxi through an app, then attacked the driver with pepper spray and fired a shot from a country-made pistol when he resisted. Following this, the gang continued their spree, using stolen vehicles for personal use or resale and applying fake number plates to avoid detection. Punjab Shocker: 45-Year-Old Farm Labourer Killed Over Affair in Kapurthala, Two Held.

The case came to light when the Mohali police, acting on a tip-off, launched an investigation into the gang’s activities. They arrested Ishmeet, his brother, and his friend and seized stolen vehicles, including a taxi, a Bullet motorcycle, a scooter, and a country-made pistol. The police have registered cases under various sections at Sadar Kurali and Balongi police stations. Investigations are ongoing to determine the full extent of Ishmeet's involvement in criminal activities and to verify his military background.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 25, 2024 11:05 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).