Jharkhand Police Bust Drone-Based Weapon Smuggling and Extortion Racket; Links Emerge to Pakistan and UAE

In a breakthrough, the Jharkhand Police on Wednesday arrested five individuals, including a woman, for their alleged involvement in an organized extortion and arms smuggling network that reportedly used drones to ferry weapons from Pakistan into India.

According to police officials, the group operated under the banner of Koyalanchal Shanti Sena (KSS) — a criminal organization allegedly run by Prince Khan, a Dhanbad-based gangster believed to be hiding in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Ranchi City SP Paras Rana told the media that Khan masterminded the operation from abroad, coordinating drone-based weapon drops along the Punjab border near Moga, which were then transported to Jharkhand with the help of local operatives connected to Sujit Sinha, another notorious gangster currently lodged in jail.

Even from behind bars, Sinha’s network was active through his associates and his wife, Riya Sinha, who handled logistics, intimidation, and extortion coordination,” said an investigating officer.

Police said Khan sent threatening videos from Dubai to traders and industrialists in Jharkhand.

His operatives would record videos outside victims’ homes and forward them to Khan, who then sent intimidating messages demanding money, claiming to have “seen” their properties and families.

The five arrested individuals have been identified as Inamul Haq alias Bablu Khan, Ravi Anand alias Singha, Md Shahid alias Afridi Khan, Md Seraj alias Madan, and Riya Sinha, wife of jailed gangster Sujit Sinha. Authorities recovered three firearms and several rounds of ammunition during the raids in Ranchi.

Officials revealed that the KSS was allegedly behind several cases of extortion, intimidation, and firing incidents in Ranchi and Dhanbad, including the Doranda shooting last month.

Shockingly, police discovered that the gang had circulated fake videos enhanced with machine gun sound effects to exaggerate the violence and spread fear among business circles.

SSP Rakesh Ranjan confirmed that the arrests followed a well-coordinated operation led by City SP Rana and Sadar DSP Sanjeev Besra, acting on credible intelligence.

Investigators are now tracing the larger trans-state and transnational nexus, particularly the weapon supply route between Punjab and Jharkhand.

Wider Implications: More Gangs Likely Operating Across India

Officials warn that the KSS network could be just one of many similar gangs operating under the radar across India, using cross-border technology, drone routes, and encrypted communication tools for illegal activities.

In recent years, Indian security agencies have busted several such modules:

• In Punjab (2022), police intercepted a drone-based arms drop near Tarn Taran, recovering assault rifles, grenades, and counterfeit currency allegedly sent from Pakistan.
• In Haryana (2023), a smuggling ring with links to Punjab and Nepal was exposed for transporting ammunition using modified agricultural drones.
• Earlier this year, the Delhi Police Special Cell unearthed a network using encrypted messaging apps and cryptocurrency wallets to launder money for terror-linked extortion operations.

These cases highlight a growing nexus between organized crime, cross-border smuggling, and technology-driven terror funding, raising serious concerns about national security.

The Road Ahead

Authorities believe that dismantling such technologically equipped gangs will require a combination of AI-based drone detection systems, enhanced inter-state coordination, and international cooperation with agencies in the UAE and other countries where masterminds are operating remotely.

As investigations continue, police officials emphasize that KSS may just be the tip of the iceberg, and more such networks could be active across eastern and northern India, exploiting drone technology to smuggle arms and spread fear.

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