‘Khalistani’ terror suspect arrested

New Delhi: An alleged member of the Khalistan Commando Force has been arrested. Gursewak Singh alias Babla, an alleged militant of the KCF, was arrested by Crime Branch, police said. One country-made pistol has been recovered from him.

A 51-year-old member of the Khalistan Commando Force (KCF), who was allegedly involved in more than 75 cases of terrorist activities, murders, and dacoities, has been arrested on Tuesday.

The accused, Gursewak Singh alias Babla, was allegedly trying to collect funds to revive KCF and was in touch with gangs in Delhi to commit bank robberies. He was an associate of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, who was killed by the Indian Army in operation Blue Star.

According to Praveer Ranjan, the joint commissioner of police (Crime), Gursewak was planning to re-constitute his organisation on the instructions of KCF chief Paramjit Singh Panjwar, who is currently in Pakistan. He was in touch with Jagtar Singh Hawara and other militants lodged in Indian jails.

He had absconded two times from police custody in Delhi and Rajasthan.

In the year 1986, Gursewak, along with his associates, had allegedly attacked the Jalandhar residence of the ex-DGP of Punjab, Julio Ribeiro, in order to take revenge for the police action against the militant groups at that time.

He was arrested on Monday night from NH-8 at Mahipalpur. A sophisticated pistol, loaded with four cartridges, was recovered from his possession.

Gursewak was previously involved in more than 75 cases of terrorist activities, murders of police officials and informers, bank and police station dacoities, etc. in Punjab, Delhi, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh during the 1980s when terrorism was at its peak in Punjab, said the joint commissioner of police.

Gursewak’s elder brother, Swaran Singh, was a member of the militant group run by Jarnail Singh Bhinderwale in the 1980s. During this period, he came in contact with Darshan Singh, nephew of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. He joined the group in 1982.