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4 gangsters with Khalistan links arrested in Haryana, explosives recovered: Cops
The four gangsters were reportedly on their way to Telangana to deliver the explosives and arms when they were arrested
Four Punjab-based gangsters, having links with a Khalistani terrorist, were arrested after improvised explosive devices (IEDs), arms and ammunition were recovered from their vehicle at a toll plaza in Haryana’s Karnal on Thursday, police said.
The four gangsters were reportedly on their way to Telangana to deliver the explosives and arms when they were arrested, police added.
Acting on inputs from the Intelligence Bureau and Punjab Police, Haryana Police intercepted the accused persons’ vehicle at Bastara toll plaza, along the Ambala-Delhi National Highway, at around 5 am on Thursday, Panipat superintendent of police (SP) Ganga Ram Punia said.
A pistol, 30 cartridges, three IEDs weighing 2.5 kg each and ₹1.3 lakh cash was recovered from the vehicle that bore a Delhi registration number, he added.
The accused were identified as Gurpreet Singh, his brother Amandeep Singh, Parminder Singh, all residents of Vinjoke in Zira of Ferozepur, and Bhupinder Singh of Ludhiana district. All of them are in their late 30s.
Gurpreet led the gang and was in touch with Pakistan-based gangster-turned-Khalistani terrorist Harvinder Singh, alias Rinda, who had provided them the explosives with the help of a drone in Ferozepur recently, Punia said.
“During interrogation, the accused admitted that they had got the explosives and arms from Pakistan with the help of a drone and said they were taking the consignment to a destination at Adilabad in Telangana,” the SP said.
The accused said it was the third consignment that they were delivering at the behest of the Khalistani terrorist. They had earlier delivered a consignment at Nanded town of Maharashtra, he said.
Haryana director general of police (DGP) PK Agrawal said police are yet to ascertain if the consignment was being delivered to Adilabad in Telangana.
“They (four arrested terrorists) are on a 10 day-police remand. We arrested them on the basis of specific inputs. Now we will connect the dots after cross checking every piece of information they disclose during the interrogation. Whatever they will disclose will be verified, including the actual destination of this consignment. It is a long drawn process,” Agrawal said.
Rinda’s aide, Rajbir Singh was also in touch with Gurpreet for the past nine months, the SP said.
All the four persons were booked under Explosives Substances Act, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Indian Penal Code, and taken into custody.
The vehicle was sent to Madhuban police station where it was inspected with the help of a robot. A bomb disposal squad was summoned to defuse the IEDs, police said.
