Babbar Khalsa terrorist wanted in Ludhiana cinema blast held

Chandigarh, April 24

The Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) of the Punjab Police today arrested Babbar Khalsa terrorist Charanjit Singh, alias Patialavi, who had been evading arrest for the past 12 years.

The arrest was made by the AGTF from near a gurdwara at Lali village in Dera Bassi.

In hiding for 12 years

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• An active member of the BKI, Patialavi had been evading arrest for around 12 years
• Disguising himself as a ‘granthi’, he was staying in a West Bengal gurdwara

AGTF DIG Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said Patialavi, a native of Butta Singh Wala village in Patiala, was declared a proclaimed offender in a case under the Explosive Substances Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in 2010.

He was an active member of the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terrorist module busted by the police in 2010 for its involvement in the 2007 Shingar Cinema blast in Ludhiana.

The module was also involved in 2010 blasts in Ambala and Kali Mata Mandir in Patiala.

All other associates of Patialavi were arrested by the Punjab Police in 2010.

“Patialavi, disguising himself as a ‘granthi’, was presently staying in a gurdwara at Kharagpur in West Bengal and was not using any communication device,” Bhullar said.

Various identification cards bearing his West Bengal address have been seized from him.