Punjab Police Arrests Three Men Planning Targeted Killings, Trio Linked To Pakistan's ISI-Controlled Terror Module

The counter-intelligence team of the Punjab Police has apprehended three individuals in Bathinda with ties to a Pakistan-based terror module, Hindustan Times reported.

The arrest of Rajbhupinder Singh, Raman Kumar, and Jagjit Singh took place near Gobindpura village on the outskirts of Bathinda city on Tuesday (21 November) afternoon.

Acting on information that the suspects were in possession of arms and ammunition, a police team was deployed along the Sirhind canal.

State Police Chief Gaurav Yadav reported that eight weapons, nine magazines, and 30 cartridges were seized from the arrested individuals.

According to Yadav, the trio is linked to terror modules controlled by Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) in Pakistan and was in communication with three persons facing terror-related charges incarcerated in Sangrur jail.

The arrested individuals were allegedly conspiring to target unspecified religious figures. A first information report (FIR) at the cantonment police station detailed the arrests and the recovery of weapons.

Avneet Kaur Sidhu, Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) for state counter-intelligence, stated that a preliminary investigation revealed the accused had acquired weapons from Madhya Pradesh and were tasked with carrying out targeted killings in Punjab to instigate panic.

Kulwinder Singh, Harcharan Singh, and Sultan Singh, currently in Sangrur jail under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, were also named in the FIR under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Arms Act.

The arrest operation was conducted along the Sirhind canal after a tip-off about the suspects carrying arms and ammunition. The accused, traveling from Puhli village towards Bathinda city in an Alto car without a registration number plate, were intercepted, and upon inspection, five .50-bore pistols and three .30-bore pistols were discovered. The individuals were using a stolen car.

The arrested individuals hail from various locations, with Rajbhupinder residing in Dikh village in Bathinda, Raman belonging to Guru Harsahai in Ferozepur, and Jagjit being from Faridkot’s Dhilwan Khurd village. Ongoing investigations aim to uncover further linkages in the crime, and authorities anticipate additional weapon recoveries.