Indian security agencies have achieved a major breakthrough by arresting two of the country’s most wanted gangsters, who had been hiding abroad for years. In a coordinated international effort, officials from multiple agencies, including the Haryana Police, detained Venkatesh Garg in Georgia and Bhanu Rana in the United States. Authorities have confirmed that both gangsters will be deported to India soon.
According to reportes, more than two dozen major Indian gangsters are currently operating from foreign countries, where they continue to recruit new members and run extortion and criminal networks in India. The arrests of Garg and Rana have shed new light on how these syndicates function across borders.
Venkatesh Garg, a resident of Narayangarh in Haryana, has over 10 criminal cases registered against him in India. He fled to Georgia after being accused of involvement in the murder of a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader in Gurugram. Garg had been actively recruiting young men from Haryana, Rajasthan, Delhi, and other parts of North India to join his gang.
Investigators revealed that Garg was running an extortion racket in partnership with Kapil Sangwan, another gangster currently based overseas. In October this year, the Delhi Police arrested four of Sangwan’s shooters involved in an attack on a builder’s house and farmhouse, which was allegedly ordered from abroad.
Meanwhile, Bhanu Rana, who is closely linked to the infamous Lawrence Bishnoi gang, was captured in the United States. Originally from Karnal in Haryana, Rana has long been involved in organized crime, with several cases pending against him. His network reportedly stretches across Haryana, Punjab, and Delhi.
Rana’s name came up earlier during the investigation of a grenade attack in Punjab. In June, the Special Task Force (STF) in Karnal arrested two men carrying grenades, pistols, and ammunition, who were allegedly acting under Rana’s instructions.
Shivam Verma is a journalist with over three years of experience in digital newsrooms. He currently works at NewsX, having previously worked for Firstpost and DNA India. A postgraduate diploma holder in Integrated Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, Shivam focuses on international affairs, diplomacy, defence, and politics. Beyond the newsroom, he is passionate about football—both playing and watching—and enjoys travelling to explore new places and cuisines.
