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Punjab intelligence alerts field units amid spurt in cross-border arms smuggling attempts
In a communication sent to field officers, including police commissioners and senior superintendents of police, last week, the Punjab intelligence chief cited the huge cache of arms and ammunition recovered from border outposts since March, while expressing the need to strengthen internal security and increase vigil.
Witnessing a spike cross-border arms smuggling attempts since March, Punjab intelligence has directed its field officers to put in place counter measures immediately.
In a communication sent to field officers, including police commissioners and senior superintendents of police, last week, the Punjab intelligence chief cited the huge cache of arms and ammunition recovered from border outposts since March, while expressing the need to strengthen internal security and increase vigil.
Citing instances of recoveries made in early March and mid-April, the “secret” communication read, “These recoveries indicate continued and desperate attempts by inimical forces to carry out terror strikes in the state by all possible means and for which there appears to be no let-up in cross-border supply of very sophisticated militant hardware.”
The recent episodes of busting of a Pakistan-backed module, with direct involvement of gangster-turned-terrorist Hardeep Singh Rinda, has increased the possibility of small-time local gangsters having a hand in supplying arms sent from across the border, adding to the worries of the state and Central agencies.
In the communiqué, district police have also been directed to keep a close eye on gangsters and terrorists inside jails in the state. It further said, “Current whereabouts and activities of terrorists and gangsters outside the jail may be taken up,” it said.
SBS Nagar Police station recently busted two modules involved in an attempt to blow up the CIA Nawanshahr police station and Kalma Morh police post falling under Ropar district.
Police had claimed that the modules were getting directions from Rinda, who is based in Pakistan and actively in touch with Ludhiana-based criminals. A tiffin bomb was also recovered from one the module in Una district of Himachal.
According to a senior Punjab intelligence functionary, because of these concerns, the prisons department has reshuffled around 50 dreaded criminals from one jail to another and kept them in special cells in order to delink them from the mobile networks. These criminals mainly include those recently booked by National Investigating Agency (NIA) in cases of arms and drug smuggling.
“In past too, there have been reports about large quantity of arms and ammunition being smuggled into the state with nefarious designs. The activities have increased in recent months which are sure to be challenge for us,” a senior intelligence official admitted.
Recent recoveries
March 9 & 10: Five semi-automatic AK 47 rifles (Pakistan made), three Colt rifles (US made), five pistols (China made), 10 magazines (AK 47), six magazines (Colt rifle), ten magazines (pistols), 49 cartridges (7.65 mm), 29 cartridges (7.62 mm) and 50 cartridges (5.56 mm) were recovered near a border outpost in Abohar sector during a joint operation carried out by BSF and Punjab Police.
April 6: Two IEDs containing 2.586 kgs RDX recovered from Amritsar
April 17: A foreign-made MP 5 gun along with 44 live cartridges recovered from Amritsar
April 18: A live P-86 hand grenade was recovered from Nawanshahr
