Three aides of Landa Harike nabbed after brief encounter

The Tarn Taran police arrested three alleged operatives of gangster-turned terrorist Lakhbir Singh, alias Landa Harike, after a brief encounter from Bhullar village located on the Tarn Taran-Khadoor Sahib road on Friday night.

One of them identified as Jaskarandeep Singh of Makhu was injured in the incident. He suffered a bullet injury in the leg and was admitted to the Civil Hospital here for treatment. The other two were Harinder Singh and Harmandeep Singh, both residents of Gatta Badshah village falling under the Makhu police station in Ferozepur district.

Senior Superintendent of Police, Tarn Taran, Abhimanyu Rana said Harmandeep Singh had shot at a farmer leader, Satnam Singh, on January 21 and a case was registered at the Makhu police station. The accused had been evading arrest since then.

He said on Friday, Kashmir Singh, SHO, Sadar police station, and Inspector Amandeep Singh, in charge, CIA staff, got a tip-off that they were moving near Bhullar village in a car which was intercepted at a checkpoint near the village.

He said police teams signalled the car to stop, but the accused started firing at the police team. In the retaliatory fire by the police teams, Jaskaran was injured. The police recovered a Pakistani-made pistol, two empty bullet shells and a live cartridge from their possession.

A case under Sections 109, 3 (5), 132 and 221 of the BNS and Sections 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act has been registered by the local Sadar police in this connection. The police also impounded the car (PB05-Z-9786) in which they were travelling.

The SSP said during a preliminary probe it was found that they were operatives of gangster-turned terrorist Lakhbir Singh Landa. They were carrying out targeted crimes at his behest. He said more revelations are expected during further interrogation.