Blasts that shook Punjab bear stamp of Pak terror outfits, ISI

The stamp of Pakistan-based terror organisations, along with its Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), has become evident in the eight blasts that have rocked Punjab in a month.

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Those behind five blasts have been identified and arrested, two cases are under investigation while the suspects in the eighth blast have been identified.

RDX, grenades used

• Punjab rocked by eight blasts in a month in which RDX and Austrian-made Arges grenades supplied from Pakistan via drones used
• Arges grenades were used in 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts and the 2001 Parliament attack
• The Arges grenades used in the recent blasts seem to be from the old stock of the Pakistan army; the grenade was also used in the blast at Sector 10, Chandigarh
• Pak ISI’s stamp on blasts
• Pakistan-based terror outfits BKI and KZF conspirators
• The terror groups use Punjab gangsters and drug smugglers for luring youths into carrying out strikes

“It is a new strategy by the ISI, which is luring gullible youth with money, drugs and the promise of a ‘safe haven’ abroad. We have pre-empted 11 other modules and have worked out five of the eight blast incidents,” said a senior police official. According to the police, RDX was used in the Ajnala blast, while in the remaining seven incidents, Austria-made Arges grenades, probably from the old stock of the Pakistan army, were supplied via drones from across the border to the handlers of different modules of the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and the Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF). The Arges grenades were used in the 1993 Mumbai blasts, the Parliament attack and, recently, in the Sector 10 Chandigarh blast.

“These were common before 2010. After that, Chinese grenades were smuggled more from across the border. It seems an old stock is being pushed into the state now,” said the police official.

Nearly 700 gm of RDX was recovered from the IED planted outside the Ajnala police station. Fortunately, it did not explode. “RDX and grenades were dropped by a drone at what is termed a ‘dead letter box location’

and picked by the local handlers,” said the official.

The police suspect some quantity of RDX could still be with a few handlers, but it is likely to be tracked and recovered soon, based on strong leads. The handlers were under the supervision of foreign-based terrorists-cum-gangsters-cum-drug smugglers, including Happy Pashia, aka Passia, Happy Jat, Jeewan Fauji, Manu Baagi and Gopi Ghanshampuria. They have claimed on social media posts that they were targeting police installations to avenge harassment of their relatives by the police.

However, officials investigating the crime say this was a false narrative planned by the ISI.

Police stations targeted

Nov 23, 2024: Ajnala police station; an IED, weighing about 1.5 kg, planted

Police action: Traced; two brothers — Jashandeep Singh, alias Danny, and a 17-year-old juvenile — arrested. They were hired by terror groups through BKI terrorist Happy Pashia and fugitive drug smuggler Happy Jat of Jandiala

Nov 29: Gurbaksh Nagar, Amritsar; an explosion occurred near an abandoned police checkpost at 11 pm.

Police action: Traced; same BKI module of Jashandeep Danny and accomplices involved

Dec 2: Ansaro police post, Nawanshahr; a grenade attack reported, but the grenade did not detonate and was defused

Police action: Traced; three youths of the KZF — Yugpreet, Jaskaran and Harjot — all residents of Rahon town, arrested

Dec 4: Majitha police station, Amritsar; a powerful grenade blast shattered windows at the police station

Police action: Traced; BKI module of Jashandeep Danny involved

Dec 13: Ghania Ke Bangar police station, Batala; a grenade was thrown near the entrance of the police station, but it did not explode

Police action: Under investigation

Dec 17: Islamabad police station, Amritsar; a powerful explosion occurred near the police station at 3 am; BKI module and gangster Jeevan Fauji involved

Police action: Under investigation; leads established

Dec 18: Bakshiwala police checkpost, Kalanaur, Gurdaspur; grenade blast

Police action: Under investigation; three suspects identified

Dec 20: Wadala Bangar police checkpost, Kalanaur, Gurdaspur; grenade attack

Police action: Under investigation; strong leads established