10 arrested so far, red corner notices issued against foreign-based handlers

The Commissionerate Police, Ludhiana, had successfully foiled a major terror bid aimed at creating unrest in the state. The timely and coordinated action of the police averted a grenade attack, thereby saving countless innocent lives in the last week of the previous month. Ten suspects were arrested in the case so far while their foreign-based handlers, with suspected links to Pakistan, are being pursued. The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) has been invoked and Red Corner Notices (RCNs) have been issued against the suspects operating from abroad.

Addressing mediapersons, Swapan Sharma, Commissioner of Police (CP), Ludhiana, stated that acting on credible intelligence inputs, the Ludhiana police had registered an FIR under Sections 3, 4, 5 of the Explosives Act and Section 113 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at the Jodhewal police station on October 27.

The FIR was lodged against Kuldeep Singh, Shekhar Singh and Ajay Singh, all residents of Sri Muktsar Sahib, who were arrested by the police.

Given the sensitivity of the matter, special teams were constituted under the supervision of the DCP (Investigation) and DCP (City) to ensure swift and effective action.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects were tasked with executing a grenade attack in a densely populated area of Ludhiana with the intent to spread terror by the Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) through their foreign handlers.

Further investigation has identified the foreign-based masterminds as Ajay, alias Ajay Malaysia, a resident of Malaysia and a native of Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan; Jass Behbal, at present staying in Malaysia, and Pawandeep, who is also a resident of Malaysia and native of Sri Ganganagar in Rajasthan.

They are known to reside together abroad and were in contact with local facilitators Amrik Singh and Parminder, alias Chiri, both of whom were previously involved in drug smuggling operations for them.

During the investigation, Vijay, brother of Ajay Malaysia, who was lodged in a Ganganagar jail in connection with a commercial quantity of the NDPS Act case, was also arrested on production warrant for his role as a facilitator in the case.

The probe further uncovered the local network involved in facilitating the delivery of the hand grenade in the state. Individuals who had been arrested for their roles as couriers and facilitators include Sukhjit Singh, alias Sukh Brar, and Sukhwinder Singh, both residents of Faridkot, Karanveer Singh, alias Vicky, a resident of Sri Ganganagar in Rajasthan, and Sajan Kumar, alias Sanju, of Sri Muktsar Sahib.

He informed the media that they had recovered a Chinese hand grenade, one black kit and a set of gloves from the suspects.

The CP reiterated that the Ludhiana police’s prompt action had successfully thwarted the nefarious designs of anti-national elements. The investigation continues to trace and verify the possible cross-border links connected to Pakistan-based handlers.

Reaffirming the department’s commitment to public safety, Sharma said: “The Ludhiana police stand firmly with residents of the city to protect their lives."

The DCP, Punjab, has appreciated the Ludhiana police for the major breakthrough, which busted the Pakistan ISI-backed grenade attack module and arrested 10 key operatives of the foreign-based handlers. The task was assigned by the handlers to carry out a grenade attack in a populated area to create unrest in the state.