NEW DELHI: The Special Cell of Delhi Police, in a full-fledged monthlong operation, arrested four sharpshooters of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence-backed terror module. The criminals had been operating on the behest of Canada-based gangster turned terrorists Lakhbir Singh ‘Landa’ and Harvinder Singh ‘Rinda’, a Khalistani terrorist based in Pakistan.
The end objectives of both Rinda and Landa are to execute the tasks which may lead to a resurgence of terrorism in Punjab, for which ISI is backing them with highly explosive Chinese grenades, AK-47 and MP-5 rifles and loads of ex-China Army stock Star pistols. The arrested were identified as Lakhwinder Singh alias Matru, 31, Gurjeet aka Guri, 21, Harmander Singh, 26 and Sukhdev Singh alias Sukha, 28.
DCP (Special Cell) Manishi Chandra said the first strike was on September 24 when Lakhwinder Matru, a hardened criminal, was nabbed from Sarai Kale Khan. “Following up on the leads that emerged from interrogation, on October 13, the movements of Gurjeet alias Guri were established near Kashmiri Gate ISBT and he was apprehended,” the DCP said.
Accused Gurjeet revealed that Harmander and Sukhdev Sukha were overseeing a major chunk of cross border operations for Landa and Rinda. “Both Harmander and Sukhdev were nabbed from Moga, Punjab on October 18,” the DCP said.
Interestingly, at the same time, another dreaded member of the same syndicate – Deepak alias Tinu – who fled from the custody of Punjab Police on the intervening night of October 1-2, was arrested from Ajmer, Rajasthan. He was found in possession of five highly explosive Chinese hand grenades.
Drone droppings coordinated by Harmander-Sukha
The sustained interrogation revealed that Harmander and Sukha coordinated the dropping of arms and ammunition through drones. Pertinently, it was also learnt that only a portion of the AKs, MP-5s, grenades and Star/Beretta pistols that were dropped through drones have been seized while a substantial amount is yet to be recovered.
‘Motive to create unrest on communal lines’
The Special Cell seems to have unearthed a sinister conspiracy in which two rival criminal nexuses appear fused like a hydra at the top. “The hydra being ISI-supported Rinda-Landa network. While both the rival groups are fighting a bloody turf war in India, both are sourcing contraband and arms from Rinda and Landa,” the senior official said.
