Chandigarh, April 11 -- In an unprecedented move to crack down on organised crime, the Punjab government on Friday announced a cumulative bounty of around Rs.2 crore on 28 most-wanted gangsters, publishing their photographs in full-page newspaper advertisements and inviting public tips through a dedicated helpline.

Issued under the flagship anti-gangster campaign of the Bhagwant Mann-led government, the advertisements mark the first time the state has publicly named and displayed photographs of such a large group of fugitives to dismantle organised crime networks. The government has assured that the identity of informants will be kept confidential.

Topping the list with a Rs.10-lakh bounty each are foreign-based gangster Satinderjit Sin...