US-based gangster Bal’s two associates held with firearms

A team of state special operation cell (SSOC) wing of Punjab Police has arrested two close associates of the USA-based gangster Amritpal Singh alias Amrit Bal.

A team of state special operation cell (SSOC) wing of Punjab Police has arrested two close associates of the USA-based gangster Amritpal Singh alias Amrit Bal who has been working in collusion with Canada-based gangster-turned terrorist Lakhbir Singh alias Landa for carrying out various terror activities in Punjab, said an official privy to the case’s investigation.

The FIR says that a tip-off was received to a team of SSOC that Amritpal has sent a big consignment of weapons in collusion his associates in Pakistan, to India. (Representational Photo)

With the arrest of Sandeep Singh alias Sipa of Nangal village in Batala and Avtar Singh alias Manu of Jogi Cheema village in Gurdaspur district, the police have also recovered some weapons, apparently smuggled from across the border, the official said. He, however, didn’t disclose the quantity and the specifications of the recovered weapons.

Amritpal Singh and the two arrested accused have been booked under Section 25 of the Arms Act, and Sections 120 and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at the SSOC’s Amritsar police station on Saturday.

“Amritpal Singh of Bholath town in Kapurthala district, who is presently living in the USA, wants to disrupt the Punjab state’s peace by unleashing targeted killings and terror activities with the help of his associates sitting in various jail,” reads the first information report (FIR), the copy of which is with HT.

The FIR further says that a tip-off was received to a team of SSOC that Amritpal has sent a big consignment of weapons in collusion his associates in Pakistan, to India. “The secret informer told that on the instruction of Amritpal, Sandeep and Avtar are coming to the Valah side in Amritsar for committing a crime,” the FIR reads.

The official said on the basis of the information received from a reliable source, the accused were arrested when they were travelling on a motorcycle. He said, “The arrested accused will be questioned and more recovery of weapons are expected at their disclosure.” Bal is close associate of Landa and has been nominated by Punjab Police in recent several cases involved in smuggling of weapons and unleashing terror activities.