KZF MODULE: ONE MORE SUSPECT ARRESTED

AMRITSAR : Police on Tuesday arrested one more suspected operative of the Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) terror module that was busted on September 22 with the arrest of four of its members and recovery of a consignment of weapons, including five AK-47 riffles and grenades.

AMRITSAR : Police on Tuesday arrested one more suspected operative of the Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) terror module that was busted on September 22 with the arrest of four of its members and recovery of a consignment of weapons, including five AK-47 riffles and hand grenades, flown from Pakistan through drones.

The arrested suspect, Sajanpreet Singh, 22, of Bandala village in Amritsar district, had accompanied the other accused for clearing the first consignment of weapons at Bhuse village of Tarn Taran when a drone failed to fly back to Pakistan, a senior police official said.

Those arrested on September 22 are Balwant Singh, alias Baba, alias Nihang (45) of Tarn Taran’s Mohanpura village, Akashdeep Singh, alias Akash Randhawa (20) of Amritsar’s Naag Kalan village, Harbhajan Singh and Balbir Singh, both of Tanda in Hoshiarpur. They were nabbed from Chola Sahib village in Tarn Taran district.

“During the interrogation of those arrested on September 22, three more names had emerged. Sajanpreet was arrested on Tuesday near Khalsa College, Amritsar. He also helped Akashdeep in burning the drone at a godown in Chabhal. After burning the device, they threw its parts into a nearby canal to destroy the evidence,” said an official involved in the probe.

Sajanpreet was earlier booked in an attempt to murder case after a firing incident in Khapar Kheri village, the official said, adding the two other suspects have also been identified.

The police had said the module is backed by Pakistan and Germany-based operatives who were conspiring to execute a series of terror strikes in Punjab and other states. The police also recovered two drones — one on August 13 from Muhawa village of Amritsar and another (halfburnt) from Chabhal town of Tarn Taran district on September 24.

The police in their probe found that Maan Singh (40) had recruited Akashdeep at the behest of his Germany-based handler Gurmeet Singh, alias Bagga when both were lodged in Amritsar jail. Maan Singh, who is already facing a case under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and Arms Act case, was brought from jail on production warrant.