M A I N   N E W S

3 ISI agents arrested
Tribune News Service

AMRITSAR, Sept 4 — With the arrest of three ISI agents the Amritsar police has achieved a major breakthrough in foiling the attempt of Pakistan in spreading terror in Punjab and Delhi through subversive activities. The police has also seized lethal weapons and RDX explosive worth crores of rupees.

Addressing a joint press conference, Mr Bakshi Ram, Inspector-General (Border Range), and Mr Parmal Singh, Sidhu, district police chief, said the police had sounded the alert to nab the associates of the arrested ISI agents in Pakistan and New Delhi. The two Pakistan-based ISI agents, who managed to flee, and were facilitating the smuggling of weapons and explosives and infiltration of the agents had also been identified.

The police officials said the names of the contacts and Pakistan-based mentors could not be disclosed at it would hamper the investigations.

The names of those arrested include, Harbhajan Singh, alias Bhajan, Tarsem Singh and Jasbir Singh — all residents of Attari. Acting on specific information provided by the SSP, a police party along with DRI officials laid a trap in the area of the Gharinda police station and intercepted a blue Maruti car. A huge quantity of drugs, explosives and fake currency notes were seized from the Maruti van. These consignments were smuggled through Samba border in Jammu and Kashmir with the help of the agents.

On the basis of preliminary investigations, Harbhajan Singh, the main contact man of the ISI, revealed this total consignment was brought from Pakistan on August 7 to disrupt Independence Day celebrations in Punjab and New Delhi. Mr Sidhu said it was a great achievement for the police that these ISI agents failed to accomplish their nefarious designs due to high deployment of the security forces.

The IG and the SSP said with the neutralisation of this gang having nexus with terrorists and smugglers, the police would make more arrests in the near future.

The recovery included 26 Mausers/pistols of Chinese make, 342 cartridges, 13 kg lethal RDX which was valued at Rs 13 crore, 18 kg pure heroine and fake currency amounting to Rs 1.40 lakh.

The police officials said the main accused, Bhajan Singh, had been making frequent trips to Pakistan.