Terror conspiracy: Arrest of 5 accused reveals virtual calls, videos of targets shared with ISI handler

The arrest of five accused, who were part of the larger conspiracy to spread terror in Punjab, with recovery of two Chinese 86P hand grenades, five sophisticated .30 bore pistols, and approximately 40 plus live rounds have revealed that they were regularly in touch with Pakistan-based handler Jasveer, alias Choudhary, through WhatsApp to carry out grenade attacks in the border state.

Mobile phones recovered from the accused established the direct link of nabbed accused as the police have recovered WhatsApp chats through which videos of places to be bombed in Punjab were shared and tonnes of calls with the ISI handler Jasveer, the key man behind the terror module.

“We have recovered videos of targets locked by the ISI where grenades were to be dropped. We have recovered chats and even record of calls between the arrested accused and the ISI handler. Due to security reasons the police cannot share the targeted locations that include police buildings,” Commissioner of Police (CP) Swapan Sharma said.

Sharma asserted that Ludhiana was not the only target of the accused rather other cities were also on the target of the ISI where grenades were to be blown up. In nutshell, the entire border state was the key target of the ISI, he said.

“Every minute detail was being shared with the ISI handler Jasveer (as saved in the mobile phones of the accused possibly the fake name), including the videos of grenades collected by accused Shamsher from Amritsar, then video of place where grenades were hid near Ladhowal and what not. The ISI handler had assured to give drugs and cash to the five accused to carry out the task,” the CP claimed.

Top cop believed that the Ludhiana police got vital information that the ISI has been in touch with many youths mostly those who were drug addicts or had criminal background. The ISI usually lure recruits with money, drugs and even weapons, but in this case, the accused had to get money in lieu of completing the tasks. “There is a possibility that more grenades might already have landed in Punjab through the international borders. The police will unearth further layers of the larger network to foil any such terror plot,” the CP maintained.

It is pertinent to mention here that a few days ago, three operatives of the ISI — identified as Shamsher Singh from Ferozepur, Ajay from Haryana and Harsh Kumar Ojha from Bihar — were arrested by the police. On their disclosures, the police yesterday night arrested Deepak, alias Deepu, and Ram Lal, who are from Rajasthan, after exchange of fire in which the duo suffered bullet injuries. One of the injured is reportedly critical and is undergoing treatment in the ICU.

The police officials, who were part of the team that busted the terror module, include DCP (Crime) Harpal Singh, Additional DCP (Crime) Amandeep Singh Brar, ADCP-1 Sameer Verma, ACP (Crime) Harshpreet Singh, Crime Branch in-charge Beant Juneja, Special Cell in-charge Inspector Navdeep Singh and CIA Inspector Avtar Singh.

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Second terror module busted in three weeks

On October 27, the Ludhiana police had busted a Pak-based ISI backed grenade attack module with the arrest of 10 key operatives and recovered one 86P Chinese hand grenade, one black kit, and a set of gloves from their possession. The module was being run by ISI handler Ajay Malaysia.