Punjab, for the first time, has announced cash rewards for 28 ‘Wanted Criminals’, who are proclaimed offenders – ishtehari mujrim – and are running extortion rackets, smuggling drugs, arms and ammunition and also ordering target killings in the state from their foreign-based hideouts.
These wanted criminals include Lakhbir Singh Landa, a foreign-based designated terrorist by the Ministry of Home Affairs under the stringent anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
The rewards, which range from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh each, have been announced in full-page newspaper advertisements with the names and photos of the criminals. Most of them are from the rural border belt of the state, including Tarn Taran, Amritsar, Gurdaspur, and Fazilka, besides some other districts. A couple of them are from Rajasthan, and one is from Maharashtra as well.
The government has issued a Helpline Number: 93946-93946 with an appeal to the public to give information about them. It has been assured that the identity of informers will be kept completely confidential.
