DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

Punjab Police on Friday claimed to have disrupted Pakistan's ISI-backed terror module being operated by Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) operative Harvinder Rinda and Harpreet Singh with the arrest of two members, who confessed to having placed an improvised explosive device (IED) at a police station in Ajnala, said Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav.

Those arrested have been identified as Jashandeep Singh, a resident of Amritsar, a 17-year-old juvenile. Police teams have also recovered two Chinese-made P86 hand grenades and one sophisticated Turkey-made 9MM Zigana pistol along with ammunition from their possession.

The development came less than three weeks after the recovery of an IED planted close to the Police Station on November 23, 2024. Pertinently, the terrorist organisation BKI used social media platforms to claim responsibility for the terror act.

DGP Yadav said preliminary investigations have revealed that accused Jashandeep Singh Danny and the other arrested accused were in touch with Gurdev Jaisal, who allured them to work for him in lieu of money and drugs. Apart from planning terror activities, Jaisal also used them for drug peddling, he added.

He said both the accused confessed to having placed an IED at the police station following directions of their handlers and also revealed that they had received various consignments of weapons and explosives.

The DGP said further investigations are being conducted to unearth the entire network of Rinda, Happy Passia and Jaisal. Efforts are being made to identify and apprehend other members of this group to bring the case to a logical end, he added.

Sharing operation details, Assistant Inspector General (State Special Operation Cell) Sukhminder Singh Mann said they have received a tip-off that Rinda, Passia and Jaisal have mobilised their associates to carry out anti-national activities in Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Batala areas and also arranged huge consignment of weapons and explosives for them to execute the plans of targeting government establishments.

Acting swiftly, the teams launched an intel-based operation and arrested accused Jashandeep Danny and his juvenile accomplice from the Amritsar area after recovering arms and explosives from their possession, he added.

(editor@dailyworld.in)