Saurabh Malik
Tribune News ServiceChandigarh/Ropar June 15
The Punjab Police has reportedly arrested from Ropar district two close associates of Jagtar Singh Hawara. Though their credentials are being kept a secret, the sources in the Punjab Police headquarters claim one of the detainees was to act as a human bomb.
In all probability, his name is Swaran Singh. He was picked up this morning on the basis of information provided by the Delhi Police after interrogating Hawara in connection with twin blasts in the national Capital.
The detainee had reportedly carried out a recee of cities in Punjab and Delhi for the purpose of causing the blast. For catching him, the police had set up traps for almost three days in different places in Ropar district.
The other accused was picked up from Lakheri village in Morinda sub-division. His name is stated to be Paramjit Singh alias Bhola. They were reportedly interrogated in the presence of state’s Director-General of Police S.S. Virk at Desu Majra this afternoon.
The sources add that as much as 15 kg of RDX, along with other arms and ammunition, has also been seized by the police from different parts of the district. More recovery is likely to be made in a day or so. The detainee, along with the cache, is expected to be paraded before the media on Thursday.
They add that yet another accused managed to escape from Sangrur after scaling the back wall of his house upon seeing the approaching police party. A massive combing operation has been launched in and around Sangrur to nab him.
The sources insist that the detainee, contrary to the rumours floating around, was not Paramjit Singh Bheora, who had escaped from Model Jail in Burail village along with Hawara. Both of them are accused of having a hand in the assassination of Punjab’s former Chief Minister Beant Singh.
Giving details, the sources claim that the detainee, supposed to act as human bomb, was associated with Hawara since long, but had been lying inactive
for several years now. He was picked up from his residence in Desu Majra village in Mundi Khahar after a joint operation was carried out by the Kharar Police and the Ropar’s CIA staff.Regarding the arms and ammunition recovered by the police, the sources add that the RDX in 20 blocks was recovered from three different parts in Ropar district. Initially, the Ropar Police was to hold a press conference in the afternoon, but the same was postponed.
The sources add that the highly sophisticated weapons recovered by the police were of the latest make. This, the sources claim, goes a long way to prove that weapons were still being smuggled in. The ammunition included 200 rounds of AK-47 riffle.
They add that in all probability the cache was stored in the house of Hawara’s alleged harbourer in Samrala. The police was on the look out for it after discovering freshly dug pits in the house.
The sources further add that one of the alleged harbourer, arrested by the Khanna police four days ago, allegedly suffered a heart attack in police custody. He was admitted to the civil hospital in Khanna and later was rushed to PGI in Chandigarh, when his condition deteriorated, sources revealed.
The police also booked Sewa Singh, a retired irrigation officer. He was the landlord of the house where alleged harbourer Hardeep Kaur was staying. He was accused of violating the orders of the district magistrate directing all landlords to furnish information about their tenants to the police. Police said Sewa Singh was booked under Section 188 of the IPC for concealing the information from the police.
