UT Police questions two members of Rinda terror module at Nawanshahr

The explosive was defused by a National Security Guard (NSG) team on Sunday.

Five associates of Rinda were identified as Manish Kumar of Nawanshahr, Ramandeep Singh of Jalandhar and Pardeep Singh of SBS Nagar, Kuldeep Singh and Amandeep Singh. They were arrested on April 17. Out of the five, three had hurled a hand grenade at the building of the CIA office in Nawanshahr in November 2021.

A source said, “Besides questioning the aides of Harvinder Singh Rinda, information about other associates of Rinda is also being gathered from multiple sources. Rinda has been active in criminal activities in Chandigarh and Punjab between 2016 and 2018. Though some of his associates were arrested over time, many of them are still roaming free.”

The questioning of arrested aides of Rinda, who is in the protection of ISI in Pakistan and in touch with wanted terrorists, will be crucial. There is an attempt to revive terrorism in Punjab, Chandigarh and many other parts.

Importantly, a leaked recorded audio conversation involving a former DGP of Punjab Police and one tainted Punjab Police officer had suggested that huge RDX along with ammunition was pushed into Punjab from Pakistan. The audio was leaked in January this year. Later, an FIR was lodged in this connection by the Chandigarh Police. Some of the Punjab Police cops who were aware of this conversation have been arrested in a case of cheating. They are currently lodged in Model Burail Jail.

The explosive substance, in the shape of tiffin bomb along with a half-burnt codex wire and explosive powder which appeared to be RDX, is the same material which was recently also recovered in Una district of Himachal Pradesh.

“Many angles are being explored. A series of tiffin bombs were found abandoned in Punjab in the recent past. We cannot rule out the possibility of involvement of some external powers behind the explosive substance. Apparently, someone had managed to light a fire on the codex and escaped. The footage of CCTV cameras installed near Model Burail Jail are being scrutinised,” a police officer said. A pamphlet of Khalistan Action Force (KAF) was also found in the bag in which tiffin bomb was placed near the jail. Two terrorists of Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) were lodged in the Model Burail Jail.

NIA likely to be involved in investigation

As the recovery of explosive appear to be linked with terror activities, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is likely to get involved in the investigation of the case. Sources said that though central probe agencies including the Intelligence Bureau (IB) were informed about the recovery of the tiffin bomb, official communication to those including the NIA may be sent shortly. Earlier, the NIA took over the investigation of an FIR registered by Chandigarh police, under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) (UAPA) Act, in connection with a leaked conversation between the former DGP of Punjab Police and another police officer. The conversation purportedly mentions about the terror-related activities in Punjab. The FIR was registered at Sector 3 police station in January.