Punjab Police arrest five alleged BKI operatives from Rajasthan, seize arms, ammunition
CHANDIGARH: The Punjab Police has busted a Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terror module with the arrest of five operatives, including three juveniles, from Tonk and Jaipur districts of Rajasthan, in what officials said was a Pakistan ISI-backed terror network.
Director General of Police, Punjab, Gaurav Yadav said that the Counter Intelligence (CI) unit of Jalandhar, in a joint operation with SBS Nagar Police, arrested the suspects in a module operated by foreign-based handlers Mannu Agwan, Gopi Nawanshehria and Zeeshan Akhtar, on the directions of Pakistan-based BKI operative Harwinder Singh alias Rinda.
Those arrested have been identified as Ritik Naroliya, a resident of Didawata village in Jaipur, Rajasthan; Sonu Kumar alias Kali, a resident of Kala Sanghian village in Kapurthala; and three juveniles. The police teams also recovered one 86P hand grenade and one .30 bore pistol along with two live cartridges and two empty shells.
Yadav said the module had planned an attack inside a liquor store in SBS Nagar recently. It is worth mentioning that the same module had allegedly carried out a grenade attack at a liquor store in SBS Nagar on August 7.
He further stated, “The arrested accused were receiving direct instructions from foreign-based Zeeshan Akhtar and BKI mastermind Mannu Agwan, who is working in close coordination with Pakistan-based BKI operative Harwinder Rinda. We have successfully averted further planned attacks by this terror module.” He added that the probe was ongoing to establish forward and backward linkages in the case.
Sharing more details, AIG Counter Intelligence, Jalandhar, Navjot Mahal said that in an intelligence-led operation, all the five accused were arrested from areas in Tonk and Jaipur districts of Rajasthan.
He added that during a follow-up recovery operation, the arrested accused Sonu alias Kali attempted to open fire at the police party. “In self-defence, the police party retaliated, resulting in a bullet injury to accused Sonu alias Kali,” he said, adding that the injured accused was immediately shifted to the Civil Hospital in SBS Nagar, where he is undergoing treatment.
In this regard, an FIR under sections 109, 324(5) and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Explosive Substances Act has been registered at Police Station City Nawanshahr.