Wanted Khalistani Separatist Arrested From Maharashtra's Chandrapur

Jaspreet Singh (20), an expert in stealing bikes for terrorist activities, is the mastermind behind the attack on a police outpost in Amristar in 2023.

Chandrapur: A Khalistani separatist, wanted for hurling a grenade at a police outpost in Amritsar, has been arrested from Maharashtra's Chandrapur in a joint operation carried out by intelligence agencies and local police on Friday morning, police said.

Following his arrest, the accused, identified as Jaspreet Singh (20), was handed over to Punjab Police. Singh, an expert in stealing bikes to use them in terrorist activities, is the mastermind behind the attack in 2023. He was also involved in the drug trade.

Following the attack, he absconded and Punjab Police have been on his trail. He went to Meghalaya. The intelligence agencies, through mobile tower location, tracked him down to Maharashtra six days ago and an alert was sounded.

He was working as a crane operator at Lloyd Metal in Ghuggus Nagar in Chadrapur and living there with an acquaintance who worked in the same company and helped him get a job there, police said.

As Singh's visuals were already released and he used the same name in Ghuggus town, the intelligence officials confirmed his identity on Thursday at a supermarket. A six-member intelligence team with officials from Nagpur and Chandrapur arrested him after a shootout on Friday.

Meanwhile, eight officials of Chandrapur Police reached the spot and Singh was produced before the local administration which handed him over to the police.

"The accused was wanted by the Punjab Police and we collaborated with the Intelligence Bureau to nab him. He has other criminal records in Punjab," Mumakka Sudarshan, Superintendent of Police, told ETV Bharat.