The Punjab Police, in a joint operation with Counter Intelligence, Jalandhar, busted a terror module of the banned outfit Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) ahead of Respublic Day celebrations.
Four people were arrested from Garhshankar, Hoshiarpur. They were identified as Diljot Singh Saini, Harman alias Harry, Ajay alias Mehra, and Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh Kandola.
Punjab Police DGP said they recovered one Improvised explosive device (IED, 2.5 kg RDX) and two pistols along with cartridges from four operatives.
The module was being operated by USA-based BKI handlers, police said.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the recovered IED was intended for a targeted terror attack in view of the upcoming Republic Day celebrations.
Police said an FIR was registered at police station Garhshankar, Hoshiarpur, under relevant sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Explosive Substances Act.
"Further investigation is underway," they said.
In a post on X, Punjab Police DGP said, “𝐈𝐧 𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐣𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐏𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧’𝐬 𝐈𝐒𝐈-𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐫 𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤, 𝐇𝐨𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐚𝐫𝐩𝐮𝐫 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐉𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐡𝐚𝐫 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐚 𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐟𝐢𝐭 𝐁𝐚𝐛𝐛𝐚𝐫 𝐊𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐚 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 (𝐁𝐊𝐈) 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐈𝐄𝐃 (𝟐.𝟓 𝐤𝐠 𝐑𝐃𝐗) 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬.”
"The module was being operated by USA-based BKI handlers. Preliminary investigations reveal that the recovered #IED was intended for a targeted terror attack in view of the upcoming RepublicDay celebrations," the statement read.
The Punjab Police "remains steadfast in its resolve to dismantle transnational terror and organised crime networks sponsored by Pakistan’s ISI and to maintain peace, security, and harmony in Punjab," the statement added.
