26/11 NSG Commando Arrested as 'Kingpin' of Cannabis Smuggling Racket

This is a startling fall from grace: a former National Security Guard (NSG) commando, who once fought terrorists during the horrific 26/11 Mumbai attacks, has been arrested as the alleged kingpin of a massive cannabis smuggling ring.

The Rajasthan Police nabbed the ex-commando, identified as Bajrang Singh, late Wednesday night in Ratangarh, Churu district. The arrest was part of a specialized police effort codenamed 'Operation Gaanjaney,' executed by the state's Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) and Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF). Bajrang Singh, a high-value target who carried a ₹25,000 bounty, was apprehended with a massive haul of 200 kilograms of cannabis (ganja), according to Inspector General of Police Vikas Kumar.

Police allege that Singh was the main operator in a route that funneled ganja from distant Telangana and Odisha into Rajasthan. The IG emphasized that neutralizing a hardened operative like Singh is a major win in combating the growing "terror-narcotics nexus."

 From Elite Commando to Drug Kingpin

Singh’s life story is a bizarre contradiction of service and crime. After leaving school following Class 10, he first joined the Border Security Force (BSF), where he spent time on borders in Punjab and Assam and even fought Maoists before his discharge. His career peaked when he served for seven years as an elite NSG commando, participating in the critical anti-terror operations during the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

Following his decorated military service, police say Singh transitioned fully to a life of organized crime. He reportedly leveraged his local standing and even attempted to build political influence by pushing his wife to run in local elections in 2021. Though the political attempt failed, it helped him cement connections with criminal elements in Odisha and Rajasthan, facilitating his narcotics empire.

Bajrang Singh was already known to authorities, having been arrested near Hyderabad in 2023 for smuggling two quintals of ganja. The recent hunt required weeks of meticulous planning; the ATS and ANTF teams had been monitoring his movements for nearly two months. Singh attempted to evade capture by using fake mobile IDs and hiding in remote villages, but police traced him using technical intelligence and ground-level informants to finally bring him in.