The Ludhiana police on Tuesday said it foiled a major terror plot with the arrest of a Muktsar-based man carrying a live hand grenade, allegedly meant to be detonated in a crowded area of the city. Officials said the plan was orchestrated by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) through local operatives.
The accused has been identified as Kuldeep Singh, a resident of Muktsar, who was allegedly tasked with transporting the explosive to Ludhiana. His aide Shekhar Singh managed to escape. Two inmates of Muktsar jail — Ramneek Singh alias Amreek and Parwinder Singh alias Chidi — have also been booked and arrested for masterminding the operation from behind bars, officials said. They have been brought on production warrant. The police have named two more men — Shekhar and Ajay — in the case.
According to police sources, an ISI handler from abroad had directed the jailed operatives to execute the plan. Acting on those instructions, the duo roped in Kuldeep and Shekhar to ferry the grenade from Chheharta in Amritsar to Ludhiana, where it was to be handed over to another contact for a possible blast during Chhath Puja celebrations.
The officials said Kuldeep and Shekhar travelled to Ludhiana in a passenger bus and were intercepted near Shivpuri Chowk. “The suspects were walking from the vegetable market in the Karabara area when our team flagged them down. Shekhar fled, but Kuldeep was caught red-handed with a grenade,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}The officials said Kuldeep and Shekhar travelled to Ludhiana in a passenger bus and were intercepted near Shivpuri Chowk. “The suspects were walking from the vegetable market in the Karabara area when our team flagged them down. Shekhar fled, but Kuldeep was caught red-handed with a grenade,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}An FIR under Sections 3, 4, and 5 of the Explosives Act and Section 113 (terrorist act) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) has been registered.
The police said the preliminary interrogation revealed that the ISI handler had instructed the group to trigger an explosion at a crowded public place to create panic and instability. “Their target was Ludhiana’s busy localities during festive gatherings. Timely action prevented a possible tragedy,” a senior official said.