Punjab police on Tuesday said the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) have busted a terror module operated by foreign-based mastermind Iqbalpreet Singh alias Buchi with the arrest of four module members including key operative Gurwinder Singh alias Shera.
State’s Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav said the accused Gurwinder Singh, who was presently out on bail, was earlier arrested by the AGTF in 2022 for conspiring target killings on the directions of Iqbalpreet Singh, who had paid him ₹1.50 lakh to execute target killings in the State.
“The other three arrested module members have been identified as Gurpreet Singh of Patiala, Ranjit Singh alias Sonu and Jagjit Singh alias Jashan of Patti, both residents of Patti in Tarn Taran. Police teams have also recovered three pistols along with 13 live cartridges from their possession,” he said.
Mr. Yadav said that acting on the reliable inputs, AGTF teams managed to arrest the accused from Rajpura in Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar district. “During the interrogation, Gurwinder Singh revealed that Iqbalpreet Singh had regrouped their gang and was planning to commit sensational crimes in Punjab,” he said.
The DGP statement said Iqbalpreet Singh was in touch with deceased terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar and is also a close associate of Ramandeep Bagga alias Canadian, who was a main shooter in seven target killings that took place during 2016-2017, and he has been facing 11 criminal cases pertaining to murder, attempt to murder, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), Arms Act, etc. Presently, Bagga is lodged in Tihar Jail.
Three SFJ operatives held
Separately, Punjab Police have arrested three operatives of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) for writing Pro-Khalistan slogans at various public places, including Bathinda in Punjab and Delhi.
New York-based SFJ — backed by mastermind Gurpatwant Singh Pannun — is designated as an Unlawful association by the Indian government. Recently, Pro-Khalistani slogans were found written on the walls of the district administrative complex and court complex in Bathinda. Some days later, similar slogans were found written at Jhandewalan Metro Station and Karol Bagh Metro Station in Delhi, said the DGP.
