Gangster Nitish Kaushal arrested in U.S.’s Vermont: FBI
The FBI arrested Indian national Nitish Kaushal in Vermont following his inclusion on the most wanted list for racketeering and violent crimes. The arrest is part of 'Operation Hard Ball,' an international effort to dismantle the Bhagwanpuria criminal network.
Why it matters
This underscores the increasing cooperation between international agencies to combat transnational organized crime syndicates.
The FBI has arrested gangster Nitish Kaushal, allegedly involved in murder, kidnapping and drug trafficking in the U.S., days after adding him to its list of most wanted criminals.
"Nitish Kaushal has been arrested in Vermont," the FBI said in a post on X on Thursday (July 16, 2026).
Kaushal, an Indian national, allegedly carried out acts of violence on behalf of the Bhagwanpuria organised crime group, including, but not limited to, kidnappings and assaults, the FBI said.
The FBI had added Kaushal to its most wanted list on Tuesday (July 14).
The FBI was on the lookout for Kaushal for his alleged involvement with a transnational criminal organisation engaged in, among other things, acts involving murder, kidnapping, drug trafficking, extortion, weapons trafficking, money laundering, and human smuggling.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in