Punjab Police 'avert' possible militant attack, arrest one with hand grenades, pistols
With the arrest of a "highly radicalised operative" identified as Ranjit Singh of Sohal village in Tarn Taran, linked with foreign-based terrorist entities, the Punjab Police claimed to have foiled another possible terrorist attack in the border state.
The police have also recovered two Chinese-made P-86 hand grenades and two pistols along with live cartridges from his possession. A black-colored Royal Enfield motorcycle had also been impounded, said Director General of Police (DGP), Punjab, Iqbal Preet Singh Sahota here on Wednesday.
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The Punjab DGP said acting on intelligence inputs about the presence of Ranjit Singh in Amritsar, special teams from the SSOC, Amritsar, were sent to the specified area to spot the suspect, following which Ranjit Singh was apprehended.
The development came at a moment when Punjab has been witnessing huge inflow of hand grenades and tiffin bombs along with other weapons. Recently, Punjab has also seen a couple of grenade blasts, including at CIA, Nawanshahr, and Cantonment area in Pathankot, besides the recovery of an unexploded hand grenade from the Zira area.
DGP Iqbal Preet Singh Sahota said during investigation, Ranjit revealed that he had formed a group named “Kaum De Rakhe” to collect funds on the pretext of social work and through this group, he got in touch with various radical and terrorist elements based in the UK and other countries through social media. He also extended his help to form sleeper cells under the garb of his social work.
Ranjit said recently, he had received a consignment of arms and explosives, and was planning to carry out a terrorist attack to create an atmosphere of fear and lawlessness in the border state.
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The DGP said Ranjit was also part of a group, which had vandalised the statues of folk dancers installed at the heritage street leading to the Golden Temple, Amritsar, on January 15, 2020. Ranjit was arrested by the police in a statue vandalising case and was currently on bail.
An FIR has been registered under Sections 25 of the Arms Act, Sections 3, 4, and 5 of the Explosive Substances Amendment Act, and Sections 120 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Act in this regard.
-PTC News
