CHANDIGARH: Punjab Police has busted a Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terror module operated by foreign-based handlers Maninder Billa and Manu Agwan, arresting three members linked to grenade attacks on police posts in Badshahpur in Patiala and Ajimgarh in Haryana.
Director General of Police, Punjab Gaurav Yadav said here on Sunday that the operation was jointly conducted by Counter Intelligence (CI) Patiala and State Special Operation Cell (SSOC), SAS Nagar.
Those arrested have been identified as Sandeep Singh alias Deepu, a resident of Badshahpur in Patiala, Harpreet Singh alias Jagga, a resident of Harchandpura in Patiala, Harmanpreet Singh alias Preet, a resident of Gurdialpura in Patiala.
The development came after grenade attacks were reported at Police Post Badshahpur in Patiala on April 1 this year and Police Post Ajimgarh in Haryana on April 6. Following the incidents, operatives of BKI, Happy Passia, Manu Agwan, and Gopi Nawasherian, had used social media to claim the responsibility for these terror acts.
"By successfully busting this module, Punjab Police has solved both incidents of grenade attacks on police establishments in the state," said Yadav, while adding that both the handlers were working on the directions of terrorist Harwinder Singh Rinda.
Yadav said that the module had received logistical and financial support.
Preliminary investigation has also suggested that the module was actively planning further attacks on police establishments in Punjab, he said, while adding that further investigation is on to trace forward and backward linkages in this case.
Sharing more details, Assistant Inspector General of Police (Counter Intelligence) Patiala Dr Simrat Kaur during the interrogation, arrested accused persons have confessed that attacks at both the police establishments were masterminded by their associate identified as Gurpreet Singh alias Babbu, who is lodged in Patiala Jail and currently is in the Police custody.
She said that probe has found that mastermind Gurpreet Singh alias Babbu had promised Sandeep Singh alias Deepu Rs 3-4 lakh for participating in the Badshahpur attack, while, Harmanpreet Singh alias Preet was paid Rs 10,000 for accompanying in the Ajimgarh attack.
She said that further investigation is on and more arrests and recoveries are likely in coming days.
A case has been registered under sections sections 25 (1) (B) and 61 (2) of the Arms Act at Police Station SSOC SAS Nagar, while, sections 4, 5 and 6 of the Explosive Substances Act have been added later.