Punjab police busts Khalistani terror module; 4 arrested

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab police today claimed to have busted a terror module that allegedly had Congress leaders Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar on its hit-list.

Four persons, including a woman, have been arrested, who according to the police, were planning to carry out targeted killings under the banner - ' Khalistan Zindabad'.

On the radar of these "highly radicalised youth" were Congress leaders Tytler and Kumar, as well as those they considered responsible for incidents of sacrilege or desecration, an official spokesman said here today.

Tytler and Kumar have faced allegations related to their role in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Delhi.

The youths had formed a group - 'Khalistan Zindabad' - after having been radicalised over Facebook and other social media platforms by certain individuals based in Pakistan, various middle-eastern countries and the UK, the spokesman said.

Working in close collaboration with their handlers and associates based in India and abroad, the youths were in the process of mobilising funds, procuring weapons and arranging training for its members, when the Mohali police swooped on them, the cops claimed.

Those arrested have been identified as Harbarinder Singh, Amritpal Kaur alias Amrit, Jarnail Singh and Randeep Singh, police officials said.

While Harbarinder and Amritpal were nabbed from the Mohali bus stand on May 29, Jarnail and Randeep were arrested today from Gurdaspur and Ludhiana respectively, according to the police.

The police also claimed to have seized two .32 bore pistols with 4 magazines and 5 live rounds from them.

These weapons were to be used to carry out killings of those accused of sacrilege or desecration and leaders or members of some socio-religious organisations in Punjab, the police claimed.

The four have been booked under various sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, Arms Act and sections of the IPC.

They have been remanded in police custody for seven days, police officials said.