Chandigarh:

Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said Tuesday a terror module operating in the state has been busted with the arrest of four of its members, including a key operative.

The module was being operated by mastermind Iqbalpreet Singh alias Buchi, who lives abroad, Gaurav Yadav said, identifying the key operative as Gurwinder Singh alias Shera.

In a statement, the DGP said that the Punjab Police’s Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) arrested all four at Liberty Chowk in Rajpura.

In a major breakthrough, #AGTF, Punjab has busted a module operated by foreign-based terrorist mastermind Iqbalpreet Singh @ Buchi, a close associate of Ramandeep Bagga @ Canadian who is lodged in Tihar Jail under UAPA charges in case of targeted killings in Punjab in 2016-2017… pic.twitter.com/lhObKssOGs

— DGP Punjab Police (@DGPPunjabPolice) May 14, 2024

Acting on reliable inputs, AGTF teams under the supervision of Additional Director General of Police Promod Ban set up a check post at Liberty Chowk where teams led by Assistant Inspector General Gurmeet Singh Chauhan and Deputy Superintendent of Police Bikramjit Singh Brar made the arrest, according to the statement.

Gaurav Yadav said Shera revealed during interrogation that Buchi had brought the gang together with plans to commit crimes in Punjab to disturb peace and harmony.

Three pistols and 13 live cartridges were found in the possession of those arrested and the car they were travelling in was impounded, he said.

Shera was out on bail after being arrested by the AGTF in 2022 for allegedly conspiring to commit target killings on Buchi’s directions, the statement said.

The three others were identified as Gurpreet Singh of Patiala, Ranjit Singh alias Sonu and Jagjit Singh alias Jashan of Patti, both residents of Patti in Tarn Taran.

Buchi was in touch with murdered Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar and is also a close associate of Ramandeep Bagga alias Canadian, who was the main shooter in seven targeted killings in 2016-2017, police said.

Ramandeep Bagga faces 11 criminal cases under murder, attempt to murder, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Arms Act charges. He is lodged in Tihar Jail.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)