5 BKI operatives arrested with hand grenade, pistol
The city police have busted a Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terror module linked to gangster-turned-terrorist Jeevan Fauji with the arrest of five of its operatives. The police also recovered a hand grenade and a pistol from their possession.
One of the suspects, identified as Ajay Kumar, alias Ajju, was injured in a brief exchange of fire during the recovery operation in Fatahpur area on Wednesday.
Besides, the others who were arrested included Naresh Kumar, alias Babbu, of Haripura, Abhinav Bhagat, alias Abhi, and Sunny Kumar, all residents of Hairpura locality here, and a 17-year-old juvenile.
“With their arrest, the police have thwarted a potential hand grenade attack on police establishments,” said Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav. The police also recovered a hand grenade and a country-made pistol of .32 bore calibre and five live bullets from them.
The DGP said Fauji, who is currently operating from foreign shores, was running a terror module in border districts with the help of the arrested persons. They were recruited and radicalised to execute criminal activities.
Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said the BKI operatives had retrieved the hand grenade and the consignment of weapons from Ajnala sector. They were tasked to target police establishments with grenades.
He said during a follow-up recovery operation after their disclosure, accused Ajay Kumar was taken to Ratahpur area for the recovery of the weapon. During the recovery operation, he attempted to escape by snatching a service weapon of police constable Manpreet Singh and opening fire on the police team. He said Assistant Sub-Inspector Shamsher Singh retaliated in self-defence during which Ajay sustained injuries in his leg. He is undergoing treatment at the Civil Hospital here.
The Commissioner of Police said the probe also revealed that the arrested accused persons had also provided logistic support and an Activa scooter to the assailants, who recently fired at the owner of a karyana store at Mahal village in Amritsar last month. Investigations are underway to uncover further links in the terror network, he added.
He said this was new module. He said several more names of their handlers in Germany and Armenia had come to light. He said the lure of easy money pushed them to crime.
A case of attempt to murder was registered against Ajay Kumar at the Islamabad police station here. He was also booked by the Jalandhar police in a case registered under the POCSO Act.
Amritsar