Chandigarh, Amritsar (Punjab): The Punjab police arrested two gangsters by busting an ISI-backed terror module controlled by Canada-based Lakhbir Landa and Pak-based Harvinder Rinda. Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav, while addressing a presser, identified the accused as Baljit Singh Malhi (25) of village Jogewal in Ferozepur and Gurbaksh Singh alias Gora Sandhu of village Buh Gujran in Ferozepur.
Divulging more details, DGP Gaurav Yadav said that the duo was arrested during an intelligence-led operation by AIG Counter Intelligence Jalandhar Navjot Singh Mahal. The police have also recovered one sophisticated AK-56 assault rifle along with two magazines, 90 live cartridges and two bullet shells from a location pinpointed by Gurbaksh Singh at his village, Yadav said.
He said that the preliminary investigations revealed that Baljit was in touch with Italy-based Harpreet Singh alias Happy Sanghera. On the latter's directions, Baljit had picked consignment of weapons from a pinpointed spot at Makhu-Lohian road near the sanctuary in village Sudan in July 2022. Later, they concealed the consignment at fields owned by Gurbaksh in his village after conducting test fires, he added.
He said that it has also been ascertained that Baljit 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. The DGP said that 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.
An FIR No. 29, dated 22.09.2022 has been registered under sections 10, 13, 18 and 20 of the UA(P) Act and section 25 of the Arms Act at SSOC Amritsar in this regard. Pertinently, Canada-based Landa is considered to be the close aide of Pakistan-based wanted gangster Harvinder Singh alias Rinda, who had joined hands with Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), and they have close ties with the ISI.
Landa had played a key role in conspiring the Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) terror attack at Punjab Police Intelligence Headquarters in Mohali and had also planted an IED beneath Sub-Inspector Dilbag Singh’s car in Amritsar.
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Meanwhile, sources said that the State Special Operation Cell of the Punjab police arrested one Satnam Singh Honey, an Amritsar youth, claimed to be a close friend of ISI-backed terrorist Lakhbir Singh Landa. The arrest is allegedly made in connection with the Amritsar IED case. Incidentally, Lakhbir Landa's native place is Landa near Amritsar. According to information, the police are also linking the accused to the case of IRD-RDX found in Amritsar.
The arrested youth, Satnam Singh Honey, is said to have been working for Landa for a long time. He was instrumental in ordering RDX from the border and delivering it to other partners. Currently, police personnel are not sharing additional information about where Honey was arrested. But soon the DGP is expected to issue his statement in this matter.
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It is worth noting that last month, a bomb was found under the car of sub-inspector Dilbag Singh in the Ranjit Avenue area of Amritsar. The police have so far arrested six people in this case. It was clear in the investigation that this conspiracy was hatched by terrorist Landa, sitting in Canada. Since then, the police have been arresting Landa's relatives. Not only this Landa's name is also linked to the RGB blast in Mohali of Punjab Police's intelligence branch. The details of another arrested person are awaited.
