Punjab Police arrests 2 men linked to UK terror group, recovers grenades, pistols

By PTI

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab Police have arrested two terrorists and recovered two hand grenades and as many pistols from their possession, an official statement said on Monday.

This comes days after the recovery of an improvised explosive device (IED) concealed in a tiffin box along with five hand grenades and 100 rounds of 9 mm pistol from a village in Amritsar.

The Punjab Police arrested the two “militants” allegedly linked to a UK-based terrorist entity from Amritsar on Sunday night, the statement said.

According to Punjab Director General of Police Dinkar Gupta, the duo was allegedly operating on the directions of UK-based terrorist Gurpreet Singh Khalsa alias Gurpreet, and had been tasked with retrieving weapons consignment sent from across the border.

The consignment was most likely delivered in the border area around Attari-Jhabal Road some days ago, he said in a statement.

In view of the large number of intel inputs indicating plans by Pakistan-based ISI and terrorist elements based abroad to carry out an attack in India on or around Independence Day, police had made extensive security arrangements at the borders, he said.

Special security checkpoints were set up and patrolling was intensified round-the-clock, he added.

On the night of August 15, two motorcycle-borne men were stopped by police personnel deployed at a checkpoint near Adda Khalsa.

The duo failed to produce valid documents pertaining to the ownership of the vehicle, the DGP said.

The search of pillion Amritpal Singh led to the recovery of one 9 mm pistol, a magazine and seven live cartridges, he said, adding that Sammy, a resident of Sultanwind, Amritsar, was riding the motorcycle.

In total, two hand-grenades, two pistols, four magazines and 20 bullets have been seized, he said.

A case under relevant sections of the Arms Act, and the Explosive Substance (Amendment) Act 2001, has been registered at Gharinda Police Station in Amritsar, said an official spokesperson.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had earlier warned of an escalated terror threat to the state from Pakistan-based forces.

The chief minister, who had met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi last week, had sought 25 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) along with anti-drone gadgets for the Border Security Force (BSF) for protection from Pak-backed terror forces.