The module was busted by the Counter Intelligence (CI) teams from Pathankot and Ludhiana, as well as the State Special Operations Cell (SSOC) in Amritsar.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the accused were working on the directions of their foreign-based handlers, who are allegedly backed by the BKI. Representational pic
The Punjab Police on Sunday said it has busted a Babbar Khalsa International (BKI)-backed terror module and thwarted major disruptive activities in the state with the arrest of its two operatives.
The module was busted by the Counter Intelligence (CI) teams from Pathankot and Ludhiana, as well as the State Special Operations Cell (SSOC) in Amritsar.
Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said the arrested have been identified as Sarwan Kumar, a resident of Malhian village in Gurdaspur and Balwinder Singh, a resident of Jakkriya in Gurdaspur.
During a search, police teams recovered a hand grenade and a pistol along with three live cartridges from their possession.
The development came in less than a week after CI Pathankot averted a target killing by busting a module of the same network with the four members, including two juveniles and recovered two pistols from their possession.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the accused were working on the directions of their foreign-based handlers, who are allegedly backed by the BKI. They were introduced to these handlers by an intermediary, Yadav said.
The DGP confirmed that a case has been registered under relevant sections of the law, and efforts are ongoing to trace and apprehend other members associated with this network.
Sharing further details, Assistant Inspector General, CI Pathankot, Sukhminder Singh Mann said the accused were tasked to conduct a recce of various security establishments. To execute the assignment, they were provided with explosives and funds.
They were allegedly communicating with their handlers using encrypted apps and virtual phone numbers, Mann mentioned.
The AIG noted that further investigations are being conducted to unearth the complete BKI-backed network and investigate previous crimes committed by the arrested individuals.
In a separate operation, the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) of the Punjab Police arrested two suspected associates of the Prabh Dassuwal-Gopi Ganshampur gang for their alleged involvement in a recent shooting incident at a salon in Patti, Tarn Taran.
The arrested have been identified as Gurpreet Singh alias Gandhi, a resident of Khadoor Sahib in Tarn Taran, and Jaskaran alias Karan, a resident of Phailoke village in Tarn Taran. Police also recovered three country-made .30 bore pistols from their possession, according to Yadav.
On August 24, three individuals on motorcycles fired shots at a salon whose owner had been receiving extortion calls from unknown numbers for a few months.
Yadav stated that the investigation revealed both accused were in touch with foreign-based gangster Prabh Dassuwal from the Gopi Ghanshampuria gang and executed the shooting on his orders to extort money.
Additionally, the accused were allegedly planning to commit a sensational crime in Punjab and frequently changed their location, he said.
The DGP added that further investigation is underway to establish forward and backwards linkages in this case to unearth the entire network.
Additional Director General of Police, AGTF, Promod Ban, confirmed receiving specific human and technical inputs about these two suspects hatching a conspiracy to commit a serious crime in the state. Acting swiftly, teams from the AGTF Punjab, along with the Tarn Taran police, apprehended the accused from Sarhali Road, Kairon in Tarn Taran, he said.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Tarn Taran, Deepak Pareek, noted that both arrested individuals have a criminal history, with previous cases involving murder, theft, and violations of the Arms Act registered against them.
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