Punjab Police arrests third suspected KTF operative

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, June 1

Punjab Police claimed to have arrested a suspected Khalistani operative who they believe was one of the main shooters involved in the murder of a follower of the Dera Sacha Sauda and the attempted murder of a priest on Tuesday—a development that comes close on the heels of the arrest of two operatives of the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF).

Kamaljeet Sharma, a resident of village Dala in Moga, was arrested by Moga Police from near village Nathuwala Jadid in Moga District and four .315 bore pistols with 10 live cartridges were recovered from his possession, Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Dinkar Gupta said here on Tuesday.

Police arrested two of his associates Lovepreet Singh and Ram Singh from Moga on May 22.

Police claim the trio had been found acting on the directions of KTF’s Canada based chief, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who has been notified as a ‘designated terrorist’ under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) by the central government.

DGP Dinkar Gupta said that besides, Nijjar, three of their other KTF’s co-conspirators/masterminds, identified as Arshdip, Ramandip and Charanjit are hiding out in Surrey in Canada’s British Columbia.

Punjab Police have been making all out efforts to deport them to India to face prosecution and criminal trial, said.

Police said they also found motorcycles that were used in the murders of a Dera member in Bhagta Bhaika and the murder attempt made on the priest in Phillaur.  Police suspect that the three were also involved in the murders of gangster Sukha Lamme and the owner of a Moga retail store called ‘Supershine’ last year.

Police claim preliminary investigations showed the suspects were wired money for the crimes through Hawala and Western Union money transfer from Canada.