Police officials rushed to the spot in the morning after the youth was caught by the people at the gurudwara. (Representational image) In a major bust ahead of the Republic Day, the Punjab Police recovered a 40mm Under Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL) with two 40 mm compatible grenades, 3.79 kg RDX, nine electrical detonators and two sets of timer devices for IEDs from Gurdaspur, Border Range Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohinish Chawla Friday said.
“UBGL is a short range grenade launching weapon with an effective range of 150 meters and it could be detrimental to the VVIP security,” Chawla said in a written statement.
“The recovery was made on the disclosure of Malkeet Singh, a resident of village Gazikot in Gurdaspur, who was arrested by the Gurdaspur police Thursday,” said Chawla. He said the police have also booked co-conspirators Sukhpreet Singh alias Sukh Ghuman, Tharanjot Singh alias Thanna and Sukhmeetpal Singh alias Sukh Bikhariwal — all residents of Gurdaspur. “Pakistan-based International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) chief Lakhbir Singh Rode and fugitive gangster Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh Dalla have also been booked,” the IG said.
The IG said, “Investigations have revealed that the Malkeet was in direct contact with Sukh Ghuman, who had further conspired with Lakhbir Rode, an individual designated terrorist under UA(P) Act ,and fugitive gangster Arsh Dalla, native of Moga and now based in Canada.”
The consignment of explosives was sent by Rode from Pakistan, he added.
SSP Gurdaspur, Nanak Singh, said, “The role of Malkeet Singh in retrieval and delivery of fire arms and explosive consignments intended for recently busted ISYF terror module busted by SBS Nagar Police, was revealed during investigation.”
He said that the an FIR under sections 17 and 18 of UA(P) Act, sections 4 and 5 of Explosive Substances Act, section 120B of IPC and sections 25, 27, 54 and 59 of Arms Act has been registered at Dinanagar Police Station. “Investigations are on to identify remaining members of the terrorist modules, recover the remaining hardware received by them and unravel the entire conspiracy, hatched by ISI of Pakistan and Lakhbir Rode,” he added.
As per police, Lakhbir Rode also had a role in killing of Shaurya Chakra Awardee Balwinder Singh at Bhikhiwind on October 16, 2020 besides in the recovery of tiffin IED, RDX, arms and ammunition from his relative Gurmukh Singh Rode from Jalandhar in August 2021. “Lakhbir Rode’s role also prominently figured in the recently busted terror module at SBS Nagar. Sukhmeetpal Singh alias Sukh Bhikhariwal, who is presently lodged in Delhi’s Tihar Jail was also involved in killing of Balwinder Singh and in case of murderous attack on Honey Mahajan at Dhariwal on February 10, 2020. He was deported from Dubai in December, 2020. Sukh Bhikhariwal provided foot-soldiers, arms and ammunition, logistics, funds, etc for execution of these crimes,” added a police spokesperson.
During November-December 2021, the Gurdaspur Police had busted two terrorist modules controlled by ISI of Pakistan and arrested four members of the modules besides recovering around 1 kg RDX, six hand grenades, one tiffin box IED, three electrical detonators and two pistols.
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