Himachal turning safe haven for criminals, gangsters of neighbouring states

Dharamshala
Himachal Pradesh, once famous for its serene landscapes and peaceful living, is now increasingly being used as a refuge by gangsters and criminals from neighbouring states.

The relatively low crime rate in Himachal Pradesh and the lack of intense policing compared to urban cities have made it an unintended safe haven for fugitives escaping the law.

In recent years, several high-profile arrests have highlighted how criminals exploit Himachal’s peaceful reputation to evade justice.

Harpreet Hippo gang members caught in McLeodganj

One of the most recent incidents that exposed this worrying trend was the arrest of four associates of the notorious Harpreet Hippo gang in McLeodganj in Kangra district.

These criminals were wanted for the February 1 *murder of a gym trainer in Kharar, Punjab. Acting on intelligence from the Punjab Police, the Kangra police swiftly conducted a raid, seizing two country-made pistols, 10 live cartridges and two magazines from the suspects. The vehicle used in the crime was also recovered from Dharamshala.

Preliminary investigations revealed that these gangsters were tasked with contract killings by their handlers sitting abroad.
Their presence in Kangra raised concerns about local networks that may have helped them stay hidden. Currently, the Anti-Gangster Task Force of the Punjab Police has taken their custody for further interrogation.

Gangster Ajay Sharma caught in Una

In January 2023, another major arrest took place when Ajay Sharma, alias Ajay Pandit, a notorious gangster from Ludhiana, was apprehended in Una district.

Sharma, who had 11 criminal cases against him, including murder and attempted murder, had been on the run for years. He was declared a proclaimed offender in two cases and was even involved in an attack on an IPS officer in 2012.

The Punjab Police tracked him to Basoli village in Una where a raid led to his arrest and the recovery of illegal weapons and ammunition. His capture once again underscored how criminals exploit Himachal’s remoteness to evade law enforcement agencies.

Narco-terrorism in Himachal: The Mohammad Iqbal case

The growing drug trafficking and terrorism nexus also found its way into Himachal when Mohammad Iqbal, a key figure in a narco-terror module, was arrested in October 2023 from Mandi district.

Iqbal was involved in smuggling drugs and explosives across the border in Poonch and had managed to evade arrest since May 2023.

His arrest, executed by the Jammu & Kashmir Police’s State Investigation Agency (SIA), was the result of a coordinated operation using technical surveillance and human intelligence. This incident raised concerns about Himachal being used as a transit point for drug and terror-related activities.

Foreign drug mafia going strong in Himachal

Himachal Pradesh is also witnessing a rising influx of foreign criminals involved in the drug trade.
Between 2017 and 2021, the police arrested 72 foreign nationals in connection with narcotics trafficking. Among them, 36 were Nigerian nationals who operated drug supply chains from Delhi into Himachal Pradesh.

The Shimla police and the Anti-Narcotics Task Force also arrested Shahi Mahatma, a notorious drug trafficker with direct links to Pakistan.

Mahatma had been orchestrating the smuggling of ‘chitta’ (heroin) from Pakistan through Jammu and Kashmir into Himachal Pradesh. His drug network primarily targeted local addicts and unemployed youths, using them as couriers and distributors across the region.

His arrest further exposed the deep connection between international drug syndicates and local operatives in Himachal Pradesh.

In November 2024, the police arrested 16 drug peddlers linked to the Mahatma gang, which operated in the upper Shimla region. The gang used social media and encrypted messaging services to communicate, making it difficult for authorities to track them.

How Himachal becoming hideout for criminals

Criminals have been taking refuge in Himachal because the state shares long boundary with Punjab, Haryana and Uttarakhand, allowing easy movement.

It lacks the dense policing and surveillance, which is found in urban hubs like Delhi or Chandigarh.
Popular tourist towns like Manali, McLeodganj, Kasol, and Kullu provide criminals the perfect cover under the guise of tourism.

Remote villages and sparsely populated regions make tracking fugitives more challenging.

Strengthening law enforcement in the hills

Recognising this growing issue, Himachal Pradesh has taken steps to strengthen border security and inter-state coordination.
In February 2023, the state collaborated with the Punjab Police to curb organised crime and drug smuggling. By November 2024, Himachal had tightened border security, increased vehicle inspections and deployed additional police forces to prevent criminals from entering undetected.

S Gopal Puri