Three Khalistani sympathisers planning targeted killings nabbed by Delhi Police
BUSTED Were working on directions of ISI-sponsored handlers living abroad; three pistols, 7 cartridges, 3 mobiles recovered
NEW DELHI : The Delhi Police on Saturday busted a module of Sikh separatist group Khalistan Liberation Fore (KLF) and arrested its three sympathisers who were allegedly planning to execute target killings and extortions in various north Indian states on the directions of Pakistan’s ISI-sponsored Khalistani leaders.
Deputy commissioner of police (special cell) Sanjeev Kumar Yadav said at least four persons were on the target list of the arrested men but they could not execute the killings because of the lockdown announced in the country to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
“The three had already procured arms and ammunition to execute the killings on the directions of their handlers who are Khalistani militants living abroad and sponsored by the Pak spy agency ISI. The lockdown had also foiled their plan to cross over to Pakistan for terrorist training,” said DCP Yadav.
The three men, identified as
Mohinder Pal Singh, 29, Gurtej Singh, 41, and Lovepreet Singh, 21, were arrested from Delhi, Punjab and Haryana in separate operations by the city police’s anti-terror squad, special cell, in the last 10 days. Police said three pistols and seven cartridges were seized from them. Three smartphones, including an iPhone, containing many incriminating videos and photographs related to Khalistani movement and their propagators were also seized, the police said.
Yadav said that Gurtej, the son of a subedar in the Indian Army, was in touch with an ISI handler, Abdullah, apart from having contacts with Avtar
Singh Pannu of Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), a pro-Khalistan group banned by the Indian government, and Gopal Singh Chawla, who is based in Pakistan and is a close aide of Hafiz Saeed, co-founder of Lashkar-eTaiba (LeT).
“Abdullah had asked Gurtej to recruits like-minded people and send them to Pakistan for terrorist training. Gurtej recruited five men, including Lovepreet, who has been arrested along with him. He was also planning to extort Rs 10 lakh from two businessmen for arranging more weapons and logistics,” the DCP said.
The DCP said that Mohinder originally belongs to Baramulla in Jammu and Kashmir but had moved to Delhi in 2007 for studies. In 2013, he began developing orientation towards Khalistan movement and started attending Delhi court hearings of Jagrat Singh Hawara, a Babbar Khalsa militant convicted for assassinating former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh. He came in touch with other sympathisers of the KLF and started working for the outfit, said Yadav.
During interrogation, DCP Yadav said, Lovepreet, who worked at a computer repair shop, revealed that he developed an inclination towards Khalistan movement three-four years ago and was recruited by Gurtej, who promised to send him to Pakistan for weapon training.
“Lovepreet is active on social media and using the platforms to remain in touch with Khalistani militants settled abroad. He also used to upload incriminating posts, videos, images and songs supporting Khalistan movement and its leaders,” the DCP added.
› At least four persons were on the target list of the arrested men but they could not execute the killings because of the lockdown announced in the country to contain the spread of Covid-19. SANJEEV KUMAR YADAV, DCP, special cell, Delhi Police