NIA raids more than 50 locations in north India to bust gangsters; Report

In an ongoing investigation into gangs and their connections to terrorist organisations, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted raids at more than 50 locations on Tuesday across multiple states in northern India. To deconstruct and disrupt the increasing connection between terrorists, gangsters, drug smugglers, and traffickers with bases in India and overseas, operations were carried out in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Delhi, and the National Capital Region (NCR). Earlier, the NIA carried out searches in connection with the investigation at 60 locations throughout India.

WHY DO THE NIA RAIDS?
A series of inquiries into the connections between gangsters and terror organisations were launched on August 26. Several gang leaders and their associates who are driving terror and criminal activities were identified and apprehended. This was followed by the re-registration of two cases that had previously been filed with the Delhi Police. It was discovered that these gangsters were active both in India and overseas.

NIA authorities said that the criminals were terrorising the population by utilising online to publicise their crimes, which included making extortion calls to businesspeople and other professionals. The NIA investigations also showed that these illegal activities were part of a widespread conspiracy including terrorists, criminals, and drug trafficking networks and cartels that operated from both inside and outside the nation. When the NIA conducted its first massive operation against these gangs, it said that ‘many gang leaders and members had escaped from India and were now operating from overseas nations, including Pakistan, Canada, Malaysia, and Australia’.

RAIDS AT A HARYANA GANGSTER’S HOME
Tuesday’s crackdown included a search by the NIA on mobster Naresh Sethi’s home in Jhajjar, Haryana. The NIA team reached Sethi’s house at 4 am. The NIA team was escorted by the local police, including the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP).

Sethi’s relatives were interrogated, and his property and bank records were examined. The NIA crew spent roughly five hours at Sethi’s home. Criminal cases involving murder and ransom were among those in which Naresh Sethi was engaged. He is presently imprisoned in Delhi’s Tihar prison. He is connected to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang as well.