Former British soldier Jagjit Singh runs own terror outfit, claim police
The Punjab Police today claimed that alleged Khalistani terrorist and ex-British Army soldier Jagjit Singh, alias Fateh Singh Baagi, who was named in the Bakshiwala police station attack case, was running his own terror outfit, Akaljot Khalistan Force (AKF), besides aligning with the Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF).
Three KZF operatives were killed in a joint operation by the Punjab and Uttar Pradesh police in Pilibhit yesterday.
Jagjit Singh, 37, originally from Mianpur village in Tarn Taran, was using a pseudonym, “Fateh Singh Baagi”, for radical activities associated with the Khalistan movement, the police said. During investigation, they found that he was booked in two cases of terrorism earlier too.
However, Jagjit’s father Joginder Singh, who is an ex-serviceman and lives in Mianpur, told The Tribune that the family had rich heritage of fighting for country’s freedom besides serving in the Indian Army. He said the family had no ties with Jagjit as he married outside his caste in England. “My son is a software engineer who served in the British Army. I don’t believe police claims that he was involved in terror activities as we all have devoted life to save the motherland. My son moved to England in 2010-11 and after completing a degree in software engineering, he served for few years in the British Army.”
As per the police, Jagjit’s activities went beyond just recruitment. The police linked him to radical plans, indicating intentions to target heads of religious sects to undermine communal harmony in the state. In 2011, a case was registered against him under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. He was declared a PO in the case.
The police said in November 2021, his name figured during questioning of the accused following the recovery of hand grenades and firearms in a case of arms trafficking. The police said through the AKF, Jagjit had been trying to recruit youths in the state with promises of money and migration opportunities abroad.
Jagjit’s connections extended to terrorists, including Ranjeet Singh Neeta and UK-based operative Paramjit Singh Pamma. The police are now working to ascertain his whereabouts. In October this year, his operatives had carried out petrol bomb attacks targeting homes of a particular community leaders in Ludhiana. He is also involved in a series of blasts in the state since November 23.
The responsibility of these attacks has been publicly claimed by Jagjit Singh, alongside Neeta, the chief of the banned KZF.
