Those arrested in Karnal were in touch with Pak terrorist for nine months

KARNAL: Four terror suspects who were arrested in Karnal on Thursday with explosives and arms were in touch with Pakistani-based Khalistani terrorist Harvinder Singh Rinda for the past nine months through a mobile application.

They were active since October last year and had delivered two consignments of explosives, arms and ammunition at Nanded in Maharashtra and Tarn Taran in Punjab, said police officials familiar with the matter.

Police officials associated with the investigation said the suspects revealed that this was their third consignment.

Gurpreet, Amandeep, who were nabbed in Karnal on Thursday and Akashdeep, who was arrested from Ferozepur on Friday, were also involved in the recovery of live hand grenades and an improvised explosive device (IED) near Sadopur village in Ambala on March 20 this year, said the police.

The Karnal police have taken the four terror suspects to Chamkaur Sahib to trace their locations and to ascertain whether they have any pending consignments with them. Police will also explore whether more people are involved in this racket, said Karnal superintendent of police Ganga Ram Punia. He said that the police will contact Rajbir Singh, a close aid of Rinda. Rajbir is lodged in Bathinda jail and has been brought on a production warrant for interrogation to find out how he helped Gurpreet to join the Pakistan-operated terrorist organisation. Police officials said that Gurpreet and Parminder were arrested in a robbery case and they met Rajbir in Bathinda jail.

Central agencies in Karnal to quiz accused

Central investigation agencies, including the National Investigation Agency and Intelligence Bureau, besides Maharashtra and Punjab Police have also started their investigations in the case. The Karnal police are assisting them, the SP said.

Police from Maharashtra’s Nanded have sent a team to Karnal to quiz the four suspected Pakistanlinked terrorists. “The Nanded police have sent a team to Karnal in Haryana. It is on its way to the northern state. The team will interrogate the four terror suspects and then decide the further course of action,” Nanded superintendent of police Pramodkumar Shewale was quoted by a news agency.