Punjab police busts ISI-backed terror module; 2 operatives held

Punjab Police on Friday claimed to have busted an ISI-backed terror module jointly handled by Canada-based gangster Lakhbir Singh alias Landa and Pakistan-based gangster Harvinder Singh Rinda with the arrest of two of its operatives.

Chandigarh: Punjab Police on Friday claimed to have busted an ISI-backed terror module jointly handled by Canada-based gangster Lakhbir Singh alias Landa and Pakistan-based gangster Harvinder Singh Rinda with the arrest of two of its operatives. Lakhbir Singh is considered to be a close aide of Harvinder Singh, who had joined hands with Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), and the duo has close ties with the ISI, a Punjab police statement said here.

Lakhbir Singh had played a key role in conspiring the rocket propelled grenade (RPG) attack at Punjab Police Intelligence Headquarters in Mohali in May and also planted an IED under the car of Sub Inspector Dilbag Singh in Amritsar. The arrested operatives have been identified as Baljit Singh Malhi (25) of Jogewal village and Gurbaksh Singh alias Gora Sandhu of Buh Gujran village in Ferozepur. Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said in an operation led by Additional Inspector General (counter intelligence), Jalandhar, Navjot Singh Mahal, police teams arrested the duo and seized one AK-56 assault rifle along with two magazines, 90 cartridges and two bullet shells from a location pinpointed by Gurbaksh Singh at his village.

Yadav said preliminary investigations revealed that Malhi was in touch with Italy-based Harpreet Singh alias Happy Sanghera, and on latter's directions, Baljit Singh had picked a consignment of weapons from Makhu-Lohian road in Sudan village in July 2022. Later, they concealed the consignment in fields owned by Gurbaksh Singh after conducting test fires, he added. The DGP said it has also been ascertained that Baljit Singh was in direct contact with dreaded gangsters, including Canada-based Lakhbir Landa and Arsh Dalla.

Further investigations are on and more recoveries of weapons are expected soon, he added. Yadav said the war against gangsters waged by Punjab Police on directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will continue till Punjab emerges as a gangster-free state. Meanwhile, an FIR has been registered under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Arms Act at the State Special Operation Cell at Amritsar. (PTI)