Punjab grenade attack case: Three killed in UP belonged to ISI’s terror module (Ld)

Chandigarh/Pilibhit, Dec 23 In a breakthrough against Pakistan-ISI’s sponsored Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) terror outfit, a joint operation of Punjab Police and Uttar Pradesh (UP) Police led to an encounter with three module members involved in a grenade attack at a police establishment in Gurdaspur, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Monday.

The encounter took place in the jurisdiction of the police station in Puranpur in Uttar Pradesh's Pilibhit after the three module members opened fire at the joint police party.

The development came less than a week after some unknown persons hurled a hand grenade at the police post in Bakshiwala in Gurdaspur on December 18. Pertinently, the terrorist organisation KZF had used social media platforms to claim responsibility for this act of terror.

DGP Yadav has identified three operatives as Varinder Singh, Gurwinder Singh and Jashanpreet Singh, all residents of Kalanaur. Police teams in UP have also recovered two AK-47 rifles and two 9MM Glock pistols from their possession, he added.

He said preliminary investigation has revealed that this terror module is controlled by Pakistan-based Ranjeet Singh Nita, the KZF chief, and operated by Greece-based Jaswinder Singh Mannu, a native of Kalanaur.

Notably, Varinder, who was leading the module and was being masterminded by Britain-based Jagjeet Singh, used the assumed identity of Fateh Singh Baghi which he used to claim responsibility for the grenade attack.

Terming this operation as a classic example of inter-state cooperation in which police forces of UP and Punjab worked together, the DGP said the information, which was received by the Punjab Police, was immediately shared with the UP Police and joint operation was launched against the perpetrators.

Sharing operation details, Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Border Range Satinder Singh said that following inputs about suspects fleeing to UP and taking shelter somewhere there at Pilibhit, Gurdaspur Police immediately informed the Pilibhit Police and also moved police teams from Gurdaspur to Pilibhit to launch a joint operation.

Police teams had traced the accused and when confronted they opened fire at the police teams, prompting police parties to retaliate, he said, adding during the exchange of fire the three accused had sustained bullet injuries and were immediately taken to the Community Health Centre in Puranpur for medical treatment.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Harish Dayama said further investigations are going on to expose all connections and members of this terror module and more arrests and recoveries are likely in the coming days.

Three Khalistani terrorists who bombed Punjab Police posts were killed in an encounter in Uttar Pradesh. Pilibhit Superintendent of Police (SP) Avinash Pandey reported that the gunfight occurred in the Puranpur police station area and the three accused of hurling a grenade were shot dead.

“Both Punjab Police and Puranpur police station staff chased the suspects. At a canal track near an under-construction bridge, the suspects opened fire when challenged by the police. In the retaliatory firing, all three were injured and subsequently sent to CSC Puranpur for treatment,” he said.

However, they later succumbed to the injuries.