Three from pro-Khalistan outfit held in UP

MEERUT: With the arrest of three persons associated with a pro-Khalistan radical outfit from Shamli district, Uttar Pradesh police claims to have busted a terror module planning to target former Punjab CM Prakash Singh Badal and his family members.

Additional general of police (Meerut) Prashant Kumar said, “The arrested accused have confessed to plotting to kill Punjab leaders, including former CM Prakash Singh Badal, who were against the Khalistan movement. Their plan was to disrupt public rallies of these leaders in Punjab and attack them.”

Notably, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) had held a rally in Patiala on October 7, which was said to be their biggest public rally in the past few months and was attended by senior leaders, including Prakash Singh Badal and Sukhbir Badal.

On Sunday night, Shamli police arrested three assailants – Karam Singh, Gurujant alias Jenta and Amreet alias Amrit – for attacking a constable and a home guard in Shamli’ Jhinjhana on October 2 and looting their arms.

State police is yet to zero in on main accused, Jerman who, according to the police, is the leader of pro-Khalistan radical outfit and is receiving support from overseas to launch an attack on Badals and other leaders said to be against the Khalistan movement. According to the cops, Jerman has stored a cache of arms in Punjab’s Ropar for the cause.

“The three arrested accused, who hid the looted arms in a local gurdwara, were planning to shift the weapons to Punjab,” Shamli SP Dinesh Kumar P said.

The three accused were arrested after a brief gun battle on Sunday.