E-Paper
Pakistan-based terrorist Rinda mobilising destitute youths in Punjab, reveals questioning of his associate
Pakistan-based gangster-turned-terrorist Harvinder Singh Rinda, in collusion with his henchman Canada-based gangster Lakhbir Singh alias Landa, has been mobilising destitute youths with no criminal background, to unleash terror activities in Punjab, questioning of three of his associates has revealed
Pakistan-based gangster-turned-terrorist Harvinder Singh Rinda, in collusion with his henchman Canada-based gangster Lakhbir Singh alias Landa, has been mobilising destitute youths with no criminal background, to unleash terror activities in Punjab, questioning of three of his associates has revealed.
The trio -- Balraj Singh of Bhikhiwind, Atish Kumar and Avinash Kumar of Sarhali village in Tarn Taran -- were nabbed with an AK-47 rifle, three pistols and 55 rounds of ammunition during a joint operation of Delhi Police, Punjab anti-gangster task force (AGTF) and the Amritsar police commissionerate on Friday.
They were nabbed after the questioning of one Harminder Singh of Kot Ise Khan in Moga by the Delhi police.
Harminder had disclosed that he had handed over a consignment of weapons to the three accused at the instance of Landa, who is also prime conspirator behind the rocket propelled grenade (RPG) attack at the Punjab police’s intelligence headquarters in Mohali.
“A few months ago, Atish’s father was injured in a firing in his village over an old dispute. Atish had no money for his father’s treatment. Balraj, who is an associate of Landa, somehow contacted Atish and gave him ₹2 lakh for his father’s treatment. The money was sent by Landa at the behest of Rinda. After getting the money, Atish got emotionally attached with Landa and Rinda and started working for them,” said a senior police official investigating the case.
He said, “Atish had never committed any crime in the past. There is no criminal case against him. From Balraj’s questioning, we have come to know that like Atish, many more innocent youths who are under financial stress, are being targeted by Rinda and Landa.”
Another Punjab Police official, who didn’t wish to be named, said Rinda has recruited many youths in the state for the smuggling of arms, ammunition, explosives and drugs from across the border. This year, many cases were also registered against Rinda for smuggling of contrabands using drones. The FIRs mentioned that Rinda had mobilised several persons living in the border areas of Punjab for unleashing terror activities.
Deputy commissioner of police (DCP-investigation) Mukhwinder Singh Bhullar said they have also identified some more members of the module and raids are on to nab them. “A consignment of four pistols was recently delivered to some persons by the three arrested men on the instruction of Landa. We are tracing these four pistols also,” he added.
Landa is wanted in several criminal cases, including of smuggling of RDX from across the border. He was also mastermind in the case in which an improvised explosive device (IED) was planned under a sub-inspector’s SUV in Amritsar.
Meanwhile, the three arrested accused were presented in a local court which sent them to seven-day police remand.
