DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said here on Sunday that amid the ongoing drive, the state police have averted a possible targeted terror attack by busting a terror module being operated by Germany-based Gurpreet Singh alias Goldy Dhillon, with the arrest of its two key operatives.

The police have seized one 2.8 kg improvised explosive device (IED) containing 1.6 kg RDX along with a remote control from their possession.

The operation was conducted jointly by teams of Counter Intelligence Ferozepur and State Special Operating cell of SAS Nagar.

Those arrested have been identified as Jagga Singh and Manjinder Singh, both resident of Fatehgarh Sahib district.

They have a criminal history and were previously involved in multiple narcotics-related cases.

DGP Yadav said the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has declared Rs 10 lakh reward on accused Goldy Dhillon, who is a key operative of Goldy Brar-Lawrence Bishnoi gang.

"With busting of this module, Punjab Police have foiled plans of Pakistan-based ISI to disturb peace and harmony in the region," he added.

The DGP said that preliminary investigations also revealed that accused Gurpreet Singh has recently been involved in conspiring attacks and deadly attacks on influential persons in the state.

At present, he is working at the behest of Pakistan's ISI.

Further investigations are underway to probe links to their transnational networks and involvement in anti-national activities, he added.

Sharing operation details, Assistant Inspector General Gursevak Singh Brar said the police teams had received reliable inputs that the accused Jagga Singh and Manjinder Singh are allegedly working on the directions of Goldy Dhillon and have recently retrieved the a consignment of explosives, which they are going to deliver to their unknown associate in their Hyundai Venue car.

Acting swiftly, police teams from Ferozepur and SAS Nagar arrested both the accused from the Sirhind area in Fatehgarh Sahib and recovered IED from their vehicle, he added.

(editor@dailyworld.in)