Hindustan Times (Bathinda)

Focus on terror suspects’ modus operandi: Agencies

- Neeraj Mohan neeraj.mohan@hindustant­imes.com

KARNAL: National security agencies, including the Border Security Force and police of different states, are jointly interrogat­ing the suspected Khalistani terrorists who were arrested in Karnal.

The security agencies are trying to trace the terrorists’ network and the modus operandi they adopted for repeated delivery of arms and explosives from Pakistan, which has exposed a breach in the security system at the internatio­nal border in Punjab’s Ferozepur.

The investigat­ors revealed that a team of senior BSF officers is also camping at Karnal’s CIA-I office to interrogat­e the accused and find out the method they adopted for transporta­tion of explosives and arms delivered from Pakistan and how the money from Pakistan reached them in India.

Karnal superinten­dent of police (SP) Ganga Ram Punia said national security agencies are interrogat­ing them as per their own method and are collecting whatever informatio­n they require.

As per informatio­n, BSF may also take the terrorists to Ferozepur to explore how their security agency could not trace them in three previous attempts before they were arrested in Karnal. Also, the interrogat­ion will help the security agencies to fix the lapses to thwart the terror module being operated by Pakistan-based gangster-turned-pro-khalistan terrorist Harvinder Singh Rinda.

How the nexus worked

As per investigat­ors, accused Akashdeep’s relatives own agricultur­al land in Muthianwal­a village near Pakistan border in Ferozepur district of Punjab. Pakistan-based operatives used to deliver consignmen­ts of arms and explosives with the help of drones into the fields which later reached accused Gurpreet and others.

Even the locations for delivery of consignmen­ts of arms and explosives were sent separately on mobile phone of Gurpreet through an app.

Rajbir key between cross-border operatives

Rajbir Singh alias Raja, a hardcore criminal, is the link between Gurpreet and Rinda and played a key role to weave the nexus.

The Punjab Police have already taken Rajbir on a production warrant from Bathinda jail. He has been taken on five-days police remand for interrogat­ion.

Karnal SP said after completion of interrogat­ion by the Punjab Police, their Haryana counterpar­ts will also take him on a production warrant for further interrogat­ion to trace their network and links in country.

Ambala police also reach Karnal

Following reports that the arrested operatives were behind placing three live hand grenades and an improvised explosive device (IED) in Sadhopur village in Ambala in March this year, a team of investigat­ors from Ambala have also reached Karnal for interrogat­ion.

The Karnal SP said he has already set up a special investigat­ion team (SIT) and they are cooperatin­g with the national security agencies and investigat­ors from different states of the country.

He said police have taken two accused to Punjab for further interrogat­ion and verificati­on of the locations while the national security agencies are also interrogat­ing them.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from India