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NIA joins probe into KTF module busted in Tarn Taran
Tarn Taran police had busted a KTF module with the arrest of three men and recovery of two tiffin bombs, two hand grenades and three pistols on September 23
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has joined the probe into the Pakistan-backed Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) module that was busted with the arrest of its three members by the Tarn Taran police on September 23.
Two members of India’s counter-terror task force have visited Tarn Taran and collected evidence related to the case, said Punjab Police officials privy to the development.
The border district’spolice had busted the module with the arrest of three men — Kanwarpal Singh, Kulwinder Singh and Kamalpreet Singh of Moga district — and recovery of two tiffin bombs, two hand grenades and three pistols, which had been allegedly dropped by a drone from Pakistan.
The NIA team reportedly visited some locations near the India-Pakistan border from where the cache of arms and ammunition was allegedly retrieved by the men.
“The NIA team has joined the investigation. They have been working in coordination with us. They haven’t yet taken over the case,” said a Punjab Police official, who didn’t wish to be named. However, Tarn Tarn senior superintendent of police (SSP) OS Ghuman remained silent on the development.
Police investigations had found that the trio was working at the behest of one Arshdeep Singh, alias Dalla, of Moga, who fled to Canada between 2017 to 2019. Dalla is a close associate of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a citizen of Surrey in Canada and chief of KTF. The process to extradite Arshdeep from Canada is also underway.
On Friday, the Moga police had arrested Dalla’s four associates with three sophisticated weapons, 14 live cartridges and 300 grams of heroin. The Moga police have also been assisting their Tarn Taran counterparts and the NIA to trace all backward and forward linkages of the module.
Sources said the police and NIA have also identified some more suspects ,who are likely to be arrested in the coming days. Recovery of more arms and ammunition is also likely at any time, they said.
Earlier, the Tarn Taran police had said that the three arrested men had disclosed that an SSP and two inspectors of the Punjab Police were their main target. Dalla is apparently holding a grudge against these cops as they were behind the arrests of his associates and family members.
