Juvenile among two terror module operatives sent to five-day police remand

Two alleged operatives of cross-border terror module identified as Jashandeep Singh, alias Danny, and his 17-year-old juvenile brother were sent to five-day police remand by a local court here on Saturday. They were arrested by the State Special Operation Cell (SSOC) on Friday in connection with the IED seizure outside the Ajnala police station on November 23.

The police had recovered two China made P 86 hand grenades besides a sophisticated Turkey-made 9mm Zigana pistol and ammunition from their possession. According to police the two were party of the ISI-backed terror module operated by Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) operative Harwinder Singh Rinda and USA-based-gangster-turned terrorist Harpreet Singh, alias Happy Pashia.

Foreign-based gangster Gurdev Singh Jaisel and Gopi Nawanasheria were also part of the module. They targeted police establishments and leaders of the minority community in the recent past.

A senior police official wishing not to be named said the accused were getting “training” for preparing an IED and hurling hand grenades with the help of social media and YouTube. They were also getting tips from their foreign-based handlers.

Gaurav Yadav, Director General of Police (DGP), Punjab, said during preliminary interrogation, the duo had confessed to have planted the IED attached with RDX outside the Ajnala police station on November 23. However, due to technical snag it could not explode thereby thwarting a major explosion.

There has been spurt in blasts at police establishments in Amritsar, Amritsar (Rural) and Gurdaspur area. Besides Ajnala police station, unscrupulous elements targeted the Gurbaxnagar police post in the city and the Majitha police station in the Amritsar (Rural) area. A blast also rocked the Ghania Ke Bangar police station in Gurdaspur yesterday.

Ironically, the police remained on denial mode, despite the BKI claimed responsibility through Rinda, Happy Pashia, Gopi Nawanshehria, Gurdev Jaisal and Germany-based Jeevan Fauji in repeated social media posts after these explosions.

The same module was behind the hand grenade attack at Chandigarh in which two operatives of Happy Pashia were arrested by the police.

The DGP said the module used to lure youth in lieu of money and drugs. The two also admitted to have received various consignments of weapons and explosives, he added.

Sukhminder Singh Mann, AIG, SSOC, said in May this year, Jashandeep Danny was arrested by the Batala police for his involvement in extortion. Later, after getting bail, Jashandeep again got involved in criminal activities. Similarly, the juvenile was also arrested by the Amritsar police in August this year for stealing a scooter. Being a juvenile, he was released after a few days later, he said.