CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has ordered high alert in the state following the arrest of four more in connection to an ISI-backed terrorist module involved in a bid to blow up an Oil Tanker with an IED tiffin bomb last month, making it the fourth case of a Pakistani terror module being busted in the state in the past 40 days.
Giving this information DGP Dinkar Gupta said on Wednesday that 2 Pak-based terrorists, including a Pakistani Intelligence Officer, have also been identified and nominated in the case (FIR no. 260 dated 11.8.2021, PS Ajnala), in which one person was arrested earlier.
Taking a serious note of the increased attempts by terror groups to disturb the state’s peace, Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has directed the police to be on high alert, particularly in view of schools and educational institutions reopening, as well as the festival season and the Assembly polls ahead.
The Chief Minister has asked the DGP to ensure high level of security arrangements to be put in place, especially in busy places, such as markets etc, as well as at sensitive installations across the state. Giving details of the arrests, the DGP said that Pak-based ISYF Chief Lakhbir Singh and Qasim, a resident of Pakistan, and Lakhbir Singh Rode @ Baba, a native of village Rode, PS Samalsar, Moga district, who is currently based in Pakistan, as being behind the terror module. Those arrested yesterday have been identified as Rubal Singh, Vicky Bhutti, Malkeet Singh and Gurpreet Singh @ Gopi, DGP added, saying that their fifth accomplice, Gurmukh Brar, was arrested earlier by Kapurthala Police, on 20th August, 2021.
The DGP said the Pakistani intelligence officer, identified as Qasim, and International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) Chief Rode had promised to transfer over Rs 2 lakh to the terrorist module for carrying out the blast. Investigations into the financial aspects are also being carried out to unravel the money trail, he added.
