Punjab Police secured the deportation of gangster Gurwinder Singh from Ethiopia, marking their first such success in Africa. Detained on November 6, Singh was taken into custody at New Delhi airport on Sunday. He faces over 30 criminal cases, including five murders, and carried a Rs 5 lakh reward.
The police took Gurwinder Singh, alias Afridi Tootawala, into custody at New Delhi airport and are taking him to Punjab to face trial.
The Punjab Police have secured the deportation of fugitive gangster Gurwinder Singh, alias Afridi Tootawala, from Ethiopia -- their first such success involving an African country. He had allegedly fled to the UAE on a fake passport before travelling to Ethiopia.
Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav, addressing a press conference, said that Singh, who belonged to the Doni Bal-Prabh Dassuwal gang, was detained in Ethiopia on November 6 and subsequently deported. The police took him into custody at New Delhi airport on Sunday and are taking him to Punjab to face trial.
Gurwinder Singh, who carried a Rs 5 lakh reward announced by the Punjab government, is wanted in more than 30 heinous criminal cases, including five murder cases, attempt to murder, extortion, and offences under the Arms Act. While operating from abroad, he was allegedly directing targeted killings, extortion-related firing incidents, and organised criminal networks in the state.
Among the cases against Gurwinder Singh are the murders of Sarpanch Rajwinder, alias Raj Talwandi (October 2024), 12-year-old boy Gursewak Singh (March 2025), Vicky Chugh (March 2025), Jaswant Singh (May 2025), and Congress leader Gurmel Singh (September 2025).
According to the police, Singh fled from Mumbai airport to the UAE on March 31, 2025, using a fake passport fraudulently obtained under the particulars of a Gorakhpur resident and issued from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, on February 12, 2025. After remaining in the UAE, he attempted to flee to Mexico via Istanbul but was deported back. He then slipped into Kenya in April 2026, travelled to Angola in June 2026, and moved to Ethiopia in November 2026.
10-month-long intelligence-led manhunt
The deportation marks the successful culmination of Operation Shahid, a 10-month-long intelligence-led international manhunt. It involved sustained surveillance, strategic intelligence gathering, and tracking of the fugitive across multiple countries in Asia, South America, and Africa, in close coordination with national and international agencies.
The police secured a Red Corner Notice against him, shared inputs regarding his fake identity and movements with central agencies at critical intervals, and issued seven Interpol references.
Ashish Chaudhary, Inspector General, Overseas Fugitive Tracking and Extradition Cell (OFTEC) of Counter Intelligence, oversaw international coordination, while Bikramjit Singh Brar, Superintendent of Police, Anti-Gangster Task Force/OFTEC, led the operation.
DGP Yadav also thanked the ministries of external affairs and home affairs and central intelligence and enforcement agencies for their cooperation.