The ‘encounter’ of Punjab’s most wanted gangster Jaipal Bhullar in Kolkata on Wednesday has buried secrets of his political patronage over the years and his deep connections in the Punjab Police.
Sources informed that Jaipal Bhullar had an active network in the Punjab Police. They informed that Jaipal used to work closely with Punjab’s liquor mafias and among other high-profile persons.
He was the only gangster in the region who had mastered the art of surreptitious movement, not using mobile phones at all, forming trigger-happy gangs across states.
According to the information, Jaipal was absconding since 2014 and during all these years, he had committed many heinous crimes and was wanted in more than 25 sensational criminal cases.
But the question arises here is that who was providing patronage to Jaipal all these years. Sources said there are ‘black sheep’ in police and government who were assisting the gangster for their own personal motives.
They said that Jaipal Bhullar, as it now emerges, was a beneficiary of the police-political nexus that has taken deep roots in Punjab over the last few decades.
Even the family members of Jaipal raised questions over the ‘encounter’ and said if Punjab Police wanted they could have arrested Jaipal alive.
“If the police had inputs that they were residing in a flat in Kolkata, the Punjab Police along with West Bengal Police could have planned the operation in way that they were held alive”. They further alleged that its government who must be held accountable for promoting drugs and gangster culture in Punjab.
Surprisingly, Jaipal’s last biggest dacoity in which he looted about 33 kg gold from Ludhiana occurred in February 2020, while he killed two ASIs in Jagraon just a month back i.e. on May 15. Sources informed that even after such a big dacoity, Jaipal was residing near Ludhiana since last six to seven months; however, Punjab Police had no inputs in this regard.
“It’s worth investigating that for what Jaipal was residing in Jagraon for such a long time. Moreover, who were his counterparts in other states as well as in Pakistan? Besides, where had he invested all the money he earned from dacoity, drug smuggling and murders etc”, sources said.
They further said that from the 33kg looted from Ludhiana, Punjab Police could recover only 15kg gold, while where the rest of the 17kg has gone that’s still a mystery.
“Besides, the impunity with which Jaipal has operated is the result of an emaciated system. And now, the secrets of Jaipal’s political patronage and his deep connections in the Punjab Police have gone with him. Though, the encounter has come as a relief to the family of two ASIs, it will never prevent others from taking the same path until we expose the real threat”, said sources.