Two KTF members nabbed by Punjab Police

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 23

The Punjab Police today claimed to have arrested two Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) members allegedly involved in several heinous crimes over the past one year, including the murder of a dera follower and firing on a priest.

State to seek deportation from canada

• The suspects were acting on the directions of KTF’s Canada-based chief Hardeep Singh Nijjar, whose name had figured on the list of Khalistan operatives handed over by the Chief Minister to the Canadian PM
• In 2020, the Centre designated Nijjar a terrorist and the NIA attached his properties under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act
• DGP Dinkar Gupta said international warrants would be obtained against him. The government would also seek his and other radicals’ deportation from Canada

Two Pak nationals repatriated

Two Pakistan nationals who had ‘erroneously’ entered the Indian territory in Ferozepur have been handed over to Pakistan Rangers on humanitarian grounds. OC

The two were acting on the directions of KTF’s Canada-based chief Hardeep Singh Nijjar, whose name had figured on the list of Khalistan operatives handed over by Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during his visit to India in 2018.

The suspects, Lovepreet Singh, alias Ravi, and Ram Singh, alias Sonu, who were arrested late last night near the Mehna railway crossing at Moga were allegedly planning to kill another dera follower to exact revenge for the sacrilege cases.

Three .32 bore pistols with 38 cartridges and a .315 bore pistol with 10 cartridges, along with two magazines, were seized from them. Besides Nijjar, three other KTF co-conspirators — Arshdeep, a resident of Moga, Ramandip, a resident of Ferozepur, and Charanjit, alias Rinku Bihla — had gone to Canada. Another aide Kamaljeet Sharma, alias Kamal, was at large. The DGP said Ravi and Kamal were known to Arshdeep, as they hailed from the same village. Ram, a student at ITI, Moga, was known to Kamal since college days. All were allegedly sent money by Arshdeep through Western Union.

Sonu and Kamal were involved in four cases. On November 20 last year, they had killed Manohar Lal, a dera follower, at Bhagta Bhaika in Bathinda. On January 31 this year, they were involved in an attack on a priest, Kamaldeep Sharma, at Bhar Singh Pura village in Phillaur. The priest, who was shot at thrice, was seriously injured along with a girl. The two were also involved in the murder of their associate, Sukha Lamme, on June 27 last year. They had later thrown his body into the Daudhar canal at Pul Madhoke.

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.