BREAKING NEWS : ARMED MEN ATTACK JAIL IN PUNJAB, FREE KHALISTANI MILITANTS

[Hindustani78]

The DGP and other officials look at seized weapons in Ludhiana.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/sharpshooter-shera-who-killed-rss-gagneja-held/495931.html

Nikhil Bhardwaj

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, November 10

The Punjab Police have arrested Hardeep Singh, alias Shera, a sharpshooter allegedly behind at least seven high-profile killings in the state since 2016.

This is the fifth arrest connected to the Pakistan ISI terror module busted a few days ago. The module is believed to be behind the targeted killings of several Hindu leaders, including those of the RSS and Shiv Sena, besides a pastor.

While five killings took place between April 2016 and February 2017, two happened in July and October.

Addressing the media, DGP Suresh Arora, accompanied by DGP-Intelligence Dinkar Gupta, said the police had traced the suspects’ handlers, who were part of a larger ISI conspiracy stretching to the UK, Italy and Canada. The role of the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) was also being investigated. The DGP said they had vital clues about the identities of the handlers.

Hardeep (21), a resident of Majri Kihnewali village, was arrested from a gymnasium in Fatehgarh Sahib this morning. He had fled to Italy on August 12, 2016, after killing RSS state vice-president Brig Jagdish Gagneja (retd) on August 6, making it difficult to connect him to the murders, the DGP said.

Baghapurana SHO Jangjeet Singh Bajwa said Hardeep tried to escape but was overpowered around 5.30 am. Several weapons, including a .9 mm pistol, .30 pistol, .32 pistol, .315 single-shot pistol, a Swiss-made air pistol and 60 cartridges, were recovered.

Sources said Hardeep bought the air pistol in Italy for training. The motorcycle used in Brig Gagneja’s killing was recovered from the Sirhind canal today.

Hardeep reportedly worked with Ramandeep Singh, alias Canadian, alias Billa, alias Chooti Bhain, of Chuharwal in Ludhiana. The two met at Gurdwara Dukh Niwaran Sahib in Ludhiana.

“The accused had picked RSS leaders to cause communal disharmony in Punjab. The accused had gone to Jalandhar thrice before finally shooting Brig Gagneja. They always wore masks to hide their identity from CCTV cameras and destroyed clothes after each crime,” said DGP Arora.

Both Hardeep and Ramandeep were reportedly contacted on Facebook by their ISI handlers, who used the social media to pick and radicalise youth, the DGP said.

“The two worked in close coordination despite having little information about one another. They kept contact through a mobile app — Signal — and were told to pick soft targets in the RSS. In Brig Gagneja and pastor cases, the targets were given by agencies outside of Punjab, while the rest were selected by the accused,” the DGP said.

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http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/cpi-no-need-to-arm-police-with-pcoca/495849.html

National executive member of the CPI Dr Joginder Dayal said today that there was no need of the Punjab Control of Organised Crime Act (PCOCA) and the police force was armed with enough laws to curb crime.

While addressing a press conference here, Dayal said, “All what is required to be done in Punjab is depoliticisation of the police and changing the entire culture. How can PCOCA help the Punjab Police in controlling crime when a similar law enacted by Maharashtra since 1999 is not coming handy? As per a report, there were as many as 2.95 lakh cases of crime registered in Maharashtra in 2015.”

He said, “We are against the target killing or any other innocent killing. But we apprehend that PCOCA, if implemented, will be misused more against political opponents than the real criminals”.

Announcing to hold a rally in Ludhiana on November 27, the CPI leader said, “We intend to revive our activities after recent falls. We want to mobilise downtrodden, students, youth, peasants and agriculture workers. We will be demanding reservation on economic basis rather than caste factor. We want reservation for the creamy layer to go. We are also for having reservation in private sector.”

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Prohibited items are being thrown inside the state’s prisons about five times a month. Tribune File photo

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/-porous-prisons-hc-summons-joint-secy/496350.html

Saurabh Malik

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 11

Jail authorities in Punjab have found that prohibited items were thrown inside over the wall five times a month, on an average. This revelation, underlining security concerns, has prompted Justice Rajan Gupta of the Punjab and Haryana High Court to direct the state to specify whether a time frame had been fixed for shifting Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Ludhiana and Ferozepur jails out of residential areas.

Justice Gupta also directed the state to depute an officer not below the Joint Secretary’s rank to remain present in the court on the next date of hearing.

Expressing concern over the use of mobile phones in prisons, state DGP Suresh Arora had recently raised the issue with the government, even as mobile jammers were installed in Nabha, Sangrur and Patiala jails.

As a petition filed by Rajesh Kumar and others through counsel Tanu Bedi came up for hearing, the Bench was told that the Gurdaspur Central Jail was situated in the middle of the city. Five years ago, the outer area comprising agricultural land was acquired by Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) on the state government’s direction for acting as a buffer between the jail and the city area.

After acquisition, PUDA developed a residential colony surrounding the jail from three sides. The colony roads were now touching the prison’s outer security wall from three directions.

Lakhminder Singh Jakhar, DIG (Prisons), said this gave easy access to miscreants to throw prohibited items inside. The matter was taken up by his office with the Additional Chief Secretary, Home and Jails, vide a letter dated September 29.

In his status report, Jakhar said at least 44 instances of articles being thrown inside over the outer wall had come to light during the first nine months of this year.

Jakhar added that the Jail Department had taken action against miscreants and staff caught smuggling and throwing prohibited items inside prisons. He said 12 jail employees had been dismissed in the past three years and 25 were facing departmental inquiries for alleged involvement in supplying forbidden articles. “Every such incidence of supplying or recovering prohibited articles from inmates has been reported to the police,” he concluded.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://indianexpress.com/article/in...facebook-killing-hindu-outfit-leader-4935895/

Gangster admits killing Hindu outfit leader on Facebook

A Facebook post allegedly belonging to a gangster and the prime accused in the murder case today claimed that he killed the Hindu Sangharsh Sena leader in Amritsar last month.

By: PTI | Chandigarh | Updated: November 13, 2017 8:37 pm

the Amritsar Police has written to cyber crime cell to verify the authenticity of the purported claim

“I want to tell my friends that the murder of Vipan Sharma which took place on October 30 on Amritsar-Batala road was committed by me. “His killing should not be linked with any religion”.

A Facebook post allegedly belonging to a gangster and the prime accused in the murder case today claimed that he killed the Hindu Sangharsh Sena leader in Amritsar last month. Taking note of the post, the Amritsar Police has written to cyber crime cell to verify the authenticity of the purported claim made on the social networking site.

In the post, Saraj Singh Mintoo, prime accused in the murder case of Vipan Sharma, admitted that he killed the Hindu Sangharsh Sena district chief on October 30. Sharma was shot dead from point blank range in full public view at Bharat Nagar locality on Batala-Amritsar road.

A screenshot of his Facebook Post.

In the post, Mintoo held Sharma responsible for murdering a cop, who was the father of his friend. Mintoo along with two others, Shubham Singh and Dharminder Singh, were booked for their alleged involvement in the case, police said.

A special investigation team led by Amritsar Deputy Commissioner of Police, Jagmohan Singh is probing the murder case. “We have taken notice of the Facebook post,” Charanjit Singh, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (City-1), Amritsar, said. “We have written to the cyber crime cell to verify the authenticity of the claim. We want to know whether the (Facebook) account actually belongs to the accused or somebody else is updating the posts,” said the ADCP who is part of the SIT. The men are still absconding, he said.

Meanwhile, the police have taken Sukhraj Kaur, Mintoo’s mother, into custody for allegedly sheltering gangsters after the crime.

 

[Hindustani78]

The police said bullets were fired on his face, chest and arms.
Updated: Nov 13, 2017 19:50 IST

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india...temple-dies/story-aBk0SlqxTWV4PU2L8BKiXN.html


Unidentified persons on Monday morning pumped 11 bullets into an ex-serviceman outside a temple at Sonepat district’s Barona village.

The incident took place when the victim, Satbir Singh, 50, who retired from the Indian Army in 2007, was about to enter the village temple to offer his routine morning prayers at 7am. Police said some people, numbering at least two, were waiting for Satbir. He died on the spot. The police said bullets were fired on his face, chest and arms.

Satbir was now practising agriculture in the village. His family said he was accused of murdering the son of village resident Rajesh in 2010 after the victim’s body’s was found near Satbir’s fields, but was acquitted by court of all charges for want of evidence.

They said he did not have any other enmity with anyone. They also did not demand a first information report (FIR) against Rajesh in Singh’s murder, following which the police registered a case of murder against unidentified person(s).

Accused take advantage of smog

The eyewitnesses present at the spot told police the shooters fled on a motorcycle and no one could read their vehicle registration number due to poor visibility amid dense smog on Monday morning.

Kharkhoda police station in-charge Virender Sharma said they have formed teams to nab the shooters. He said the family was not linking the incident with the case registered against Singh, but they are investigating the case from all angles.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/pu...on-group-to-check-militant-threat/499147.html
Posted at: Nov 17, 2017, 5:32 PM; last updated: Nov 17, 2017, 5:37 PM (IST)
Punjab approves creation of Special Operation Group to check militant threat

The Cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, discussed the advantages of setting up the SOG. Photo courtesy Twitter


Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 17

In some far-reaching police reforms and initiatives, the Punjab Cabinet on Friday approved the creation of a Special Operation Group (SOG) to check militant threat, with non-fiscal incentives for those personnel who join the new force.

The SOG will contain counter-action force and neutralise militant threats such as fidayeen attack, hostage situations and armed infiltration, according to a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office.

The Cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, discussed the advantages of setting up the SOG, which would help respond effectively, adequately and in the least possible time to neutralise armed aggressors.

It will also minimise collateral damage in the form of loss of civilian lives and damage to the strategic assets of the country, working in close coordination with other state players like district police, civil authorities, Army, NSG, IB, and Intelligence Wing etc.

Triggered by the Gurdaspur and Pathankot fidayeen attacks, the need to create the SOG was felt by the state government on account of the inadequate training and lack of sophisticated units in the existing police units. The SOG personnel would have world-class training and the highest degree of commitment to tackle armed threats and would function as the state’s premier and specialised response team.

With Intelligence reports suggesting plans by fidayeen groups to target the security and vital installations/establishment in the state, the SOG will operate to protect Punjab and its people. Non-gazetted officers (NGOs) and officers shall have minimum tenure of five years in the SOG.

After successful completion of the tenure of five years, NGOs and ORs of Punjab Armed Police and Indian Reserve Battalion/Commando would be posted in district cadres.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/police-study-pattern-to-join-dots/498893.html

Posted at: Nov 17, 2017, 1:32 AM; last updated: Nov 17, 2017, 1:32 AM (IST)
Police study pattern to join dots
Terror modules Claim ISI, KLF targeting vulnerable youths to revive militancy

Jagtar Singh Johal and Hardeep Singh Shera



Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 16

As many as 47 alleged terrorists, mostly new recruits, belonging to eight terror modules have been arrested in the past seven months in the state. The police claim that Pakistan-based Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) and Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) were trying to revive terrorism in the state.

As per a police analytical report, all modules had common elements and pattern. Youths, mostly unemployed and belonging to lower middle class were radicalised by offering them handsome compensation and foreign settlement, besides influencing them with emotive stories of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and police torture on Khalistanis.

All alleged terrorists have been accused of being in contact with Khalistan sympathisers on social media and propagating their ideology.

Each module had a handler based in Canada, UK, France, Italy, Belgium or Germany, who funded the modules and provided logistic support. More than 20 such handlers have been identified so far. But not much action is possible against them on the foreign soil. Pakistan-based Harpreet Singh alias Happy PhD (nicknamed due to his expertise in computers) of the KLF and Lakhbir Singh Rode of the International Sikh Youth Federation were the main conspirators.

The police analysis says the conspiracy to roll out such regular modules and target leaders of different communities started in early 2015 and resulted in six killings and two failed attempts.

The report says the eighth module led by Jagtar Singh Johal of the UK busted last week was the most dangerous. “It remained in action for the longest duration and was the most determined effort of Happy and Rode and the ISI,” said a senior police official.

He said the police failed their designs to revive terrorism and thanked the state residents who did not react adversely to the killings.

Lawyers and some political leaders, however, fear that the large-scale arrests are an indication of police raj where youths were being branded as terrorists for merely expressing their opinion on the social media or following
Khalistan sympathisers.

“Where is the evidence against them? Is the police probe transparent?” asks Jaspal Singh Manjhpur, a lawyer who is representing Johal, besides other alleged terrorists and Sikh detainees in different jails of the state. “It is no crime to read and share stories of 1984 riots on the social media. It is also no crime to express your dissatisfaction with an organisaiton hurting your religious sentiments.

The weapons were planted on them. Have the police ever booked any RSS leader for giving controversial statements,” he asks. The arrests have stirred emotions in the UK where a campaign for Johal’s release is on.

While the Akali Dal is silent on the issue, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has taken up the matter through Kharar MLA and NRI wing incharge Kanwar Sandhu.

AAP leaders were earlier accused of meeting Khalistan sympathisers during the Assembly elections. Sandhu says: “We are not supporting violence. We are saying the rule of law should be followed. There is no transparency in police functioning. Why are they not making the evidence against Johal or others public? We would have raised similar questions if a non-Sikh innocent person was branded terrorist like this,” he said.

 

[Hindustani78]

Court extends police custody of Jimmy Singh for a day. He is being questioned by Ludhiana police in Gosain’s murder case.

By: Express News Service | Ludhiana | Published:November 18, 2017 2:04 am

Jimmy at a Ludhiana court on Friday. Gurmeet Singh

http://indianexpress.com/article/in...e-rss-leaders-murder-ravindra-gosain-4942625/

A team of officials from National Investigating Agency (NIA) reached Ludhiana Friday and started probe in the murder case of RSS leader Ravindra Gosain. Soon after its arrival, the 11-member team, led by NIA officer GP Singh, held a meeting with Ludhiana police commissioner R N Dhoke. “The meeting was held to share important information and details of the case,” Dhoke said, without elaborating.

Sources said the team may visit the residence of the slain RSS leader and meet his family on Saturday. Gosain was shot dead outside his residence at Gaganajit Colony of Basti Jodhewal area in Ludhiana on October 17 by two bike-borne assailants. On October 21, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh announced that the state government had decided to hand over the probe to the NIA. On Thursday, the union home ministry asked the agency to take over the probe.

A few days back, Punjab DGP Suresh Arora claimed to have solved a series of targeted killings in Punjab including that of Gosain with the arrest of five persons, two UK nationals Jimmy Singh and Jagtar Singh alias Jaggi, two alleged hitmen Ramandeep Singh and Hardeep alias Shera, and one jailed gangster Dharmendra Guggni. Police has also claimed involvement of Pakistan’s ISI and pro-Khalistan groups based in UK, Canada and Italy. The motive, as per police, was to disturb communal harmony in Punjab.

The police have claimed that the arrested five planned and executed the murders of RSS leader Jagdish Gosain, Shiv Sena leader Durga Prasad Gupta, Hindu Takht leader Amit Sharma, Dera Sacha Sauda followers Satpal-Ramesh (father-son), church pastor Sultan Masih and RSS leader Ravindra Gosain.

Meanwhile, a local court of Ludhiana Friday extended the police remand Jimmy Singh for one day. He is being questioned by Ludhiana police in Gosain’s murder case. The police Friday claimed in the court that they were yet to extract exact details of funding from foreign nations arranged by Jimmy Singh for the killings. Jimmy has been in the custody of Ludhiana police since November 14.

 

[Hindustani78]

Posted at: Dec 4, 2017, 2:00 AM;
last updated: Dec 4, 2017, 2:37 PM (IST)
http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/gosain-killing-nia-up-cops-team-fired-upon/507804.html

A joint team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the UP Police today picked up two suspects for the killing of RSS leader Ravinder Gosain in Ludhiana on October 17 while searching for another suspect Malook, wanted in connection with the supply of arms used in the murder.

During the operation on the intervening night of December 2 and 3, Constable Tajib Khan was injured in the leg while a vehicle was damaged by a mob that tried to obstruct the team and resorted to firing and stone-pelting, an NIA spokesperson said.

“A large crowd of men and women tried to obstruct the police and the NIA team. The mob also caused roadblocks. In self-defence, the personnel fired into the air,” he said. The two suspects are being questioned even as a search is on for Malook. — TNS

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http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/2-day-remand-for-johal-in-firing-case/507268.html

UK-based NRI Jagtar Singh Johal, facing accusations of funding and indulging in target killings of Hindu leaders in the state, has been arrested in a case of firing on RSS shakha at Kidwai Nagar, Ludhiana, in 2016. Judicial Magistrate Gurpreet Kaur granted Johal two-day police remand in the firing case.

Two motorcycle-borne masked men had fired shots on the ground, where an RSS assembly was planned in 2016, but there were no casualties as the venue was vacant. A case under Sections 307 (attempt to murder) and 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the IPC and Sections 25 (firing of guns in contravention of law) 27 (punishment for using arms) 54 (amendments relating to arms and ammunition) and 59 (fee payable on petition for appeal) of the Arms Act was registered against the unidentified attackers.

Earlier, he was remanded in judicial custody in the Pastor Sultan Masih murder case. Another accused, Anil Kumar, alias Kala, was sent to police custody for a day in the pastor’s murder case.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://indianexpress.com/article/in...pplier-in-punjab-rss-leaders-killing-4969673/

During investigation, it was revealed that Hardeep had visited Meerut on three occasions to procure weapons to carry out targeted killings of members of the RSS and other organisations, the NIA claimed.

By: PTI | New Delhi | Published: December 5, 2017 10:45 pm

The NIA on Tuesday arrested a man for allegedly supplying a gun to the main accused in the killing of an RSS worker in Punjab in October, the agency said. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) last month took over the probe into the killing of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) worker Ravinder Gosain, reports news agency PTI.

Pahar Singh, 48, a resident of Meerut, was arrested for supplying a country-made weapon to main accused Hardeep Singh alias Shera, it said. During investigation, it was revealed that Hardeep had visited Meerut on three occasions to procure weapons to carry out targeted killings of members of the RSS and other organisations, the NIA claimed.

It said that Hardeep procured a .315 bore country-made weapon from Pahar at his house. This weapon was recovered and seized at the instance of Hardeep subsequent to his arrest by the Punjab Police in November. A case under the Arms Act had earlier been registered against Pahar in Amroha in September.

He will be produced before the Special NIA Court in Mohali tomorrow, the NIA said. Gosain, the ‘Mukhya Shikshak’ of the Mohan shakha of the RSS, was shot dead outside his residence in Ludhiana’s Gagandeep Colony in the morning of October 17 by two unidentified assailants riding a motorbike.


The Punjab police, which was earlier probing the case, arrested two people — Ramandeep Singh and Hardeep — a few days after the incident.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/chargesheet-filed-in-terror-module-case/508262.html

Tribune News Service

Mohali, December 4

The local police today presented a chargesheet against 11 persons who had formed Khalistan Zindabad group with the intention of indulging in terror activities.

The module, including Harwinder Singh, Mohkam Singh Barnala, Amritpal Kaur, Tarsem Singh, Jarnail Singh, Satnam Singh, Sukhpreet Singh, Parminder Singh, Gaurav Kumar and Ramandeep Singh, had been busted in May.

The police had recovered the letterhead of banned terror group Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and four weapons from their possession.

The chargesheet was filed under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Arms Act. The police said they were keeping tabs on persons based in various countries, including Surinder Singh Babbar (UK), Dilawar Singh (UAE), Kulwant Singh (US), Amandeep Singh, Jarnail Dhillon and Resham Singh Babbar (Germany), Surinder Singh (Portugal), Fateh Singh, Jarnail Singh and Bhinder Singh (South Africa).

The police had claimed that the accused had formed Khalistan Zindabad and were planning to raise a militant outfit, Jatha Veer Khalsa, on the anniversary of Operation Bluestar.

According to the cops, the accused were financed by Khalistan sympathisers based in Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the UK.

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http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/johal-funded-killings-say-cops/508263.html

Ludhiana, December 4

British citizen Jagtar Singh Johal has confessed to his involvement in funding target killings of Hindu leaders in the state. This was claimed by the local police in a court here today.

The police claimed that Johal had admitted to have hatched the conspiracy to disturb peace and revive militancy in the state. In this connection, funds were transferred to Jimmy.

Johal was produced before a local court in connection with a firing incident at RSS Shakha at Kidwai Nagar, Ludhiana in 2016. Judicial Magistrate Gurpreet Kaur extended his police remand for a day.

Meanwhile, the police arrested Taljit Singh aka Jimmy in this case following revelations by Johal. He was taken on police remand for two days.

Defence lawyer Jaspal Singh Manjpur opposed the plea of police remand of the accused. — TNS

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india...r-s-killing/story-R9IRy7F42UfAlx28fAKBKK.html

Another suspect in the case, Malook, managed to flee on Sunday when a joint team of the NIA and the Uttar Pradesh police had gone to arrest him from a Ghaziabad village

HT Correspondent
Hindustan Times, New Delhi

Vehicle damaged in attack on cops in Ghaziabad on Sunday.(HT File)

The NIA on Tuesday arrested a Meerut resident for allegedly supplying a gun to the main accused in the killing of an RSS worker in Punjab in October, the agency said.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) last month took over the probe into the killing of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) worker Ravinder Gosain.

Pahar Singh, 48, was arrested for supplying a country-made weapon to the main accused Hardeep Singh alias Shera, NIA said in a statement.

Another suspect in the case, Malook, managed to flee on Sunday when a joint team of NIA and the UP police had gone to arrest him from a Ghaziabad village. The villagers opened fire and pelted stones on the raiding party.

The NIA said their probe has revealed that Hardeep Singh had visited Meerut on three occasions during in the last two years to procure weapons to carry out the targeted killings of members of the RSS and other organisations.

“Around April or May this year, Hardeep Singh procured a .315 bore country made weapon from Pahar Singh at his house. This weapon was recovered and seized at the instance of Hardeep Singh subsequent to his arrest by Punjab police last month,” the NIA statement revealed.

Pahar Singh is also an accused in another case registered under the Arms Act in nearby Amroha district three months back. He will be produced before the Special NIA Court in Mohali on Wednesday.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/three-drug-peddlers-get-14-year-jail/509333.html

Fazilka, December 6

Additional District and Sessions Judge Lachhman Singh awarded 14 years of imprisonment to each of the three drug peddlers, including a woman, today in a four-year-old drug smuggling case.

Lachhman Singh has awarded 14-year sentence and Rs 1.25 lakh fine to each of the convict, namely Jasbir Singh, Surinder Kumar and Ramandeep Kaur. In case the convict is not able to pay the fine he/she will have to undergo imprisonment of another one year.

The Abohar police had arrested the drug peddlers carrying 4-kg intoxicant powder containing “dephenoxylate hydrochloride” salt on the Killianwali bypass, near Abohar, on November 15, 2013.

However, the fourth accused Gurtej Singh, husband of convict Ramandeep Kaur, who had managed to flee while taking advantage of darkness, has been let go by the court by giving the benefit of doubt as the police could not prove his identity.

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http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/pu...ts-after-spy-s-arrest-heroin-haul/509882.html

Gurdaspur, December 7

Two major incidents near the international border, one pertaining to espionage and the other recovery of 55-kg high-grade heroin, in the district have alarm bells ringing for the BSF and the state police.

BSF Punjab Frontier IG Mukul Goel, while addressing a press conference, claimed: “The seizure was the biggest ever in the history of the Punjab Frontier.” DIG Rajesh Sharma and other top officers of the BSF, too, were present.

The drug and two .32 bore revolvers were seized late last night near the fencing in Rosse border outpost (BoP) in Kalanaur area. DSP (Special branch) Gurbans Singh Bains confirmed that 55 packets, each containing 1 kg of heroin, were seized after the BSF thwarted an intrusion bid by two persons from across the border.

The BSF engaged the intruders, but they quickly retreated leaving behind the contraband wrapped in bags. A plastic pipe was also recovered from the spot which signifies that the intruders were trying to smuggle in the packets through the electric fence.

Officers maintained silence on the identity of the persons for whom the drug consignment was meant. Bains said investigations were still on.

“More details will be released once everything becomes clear after the investigations,” he said. Sources said two persons had been sighted across the fence inside the Indian territory and joint efforts by the BSF and the police were on to nab them.

Meanwhile, Batala SSP Opinderjit Singh Ghuman said the police had nabbed a spy, Gurmukh Singh alias Guri, for allegedly passing on inputs pertaining to the movement of Army vehicles to the ISI. “Gurmukh Singh of Chaamka village under Mattewal police station of Amritsar district had visited Pakistan in 2009 and 2012 as part of a Sikh pilgrimage. There he developed contacts with ISI agents. He had been passing on sensitive information for the last eight years. We are yet to ascertain what damage his information might have done to the Army,” the SSP said.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/nia-takes-over-six-cases-with-khalistan-link/512930.html
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 13

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) today took over six cases in Punjab related to terror groups allegedly having links with the Khalistani movement. Four of the cases are registered in Ludhiana and two in Khanna.

The NIA, in a statement, said its teams have already reached Ludhiana and Khanna to take over the investigation. So far, the Punjab Police were handling the cases.

One of the cases pertains to firing at an RSS “shakha” in Kidwai Nagar, Ludhiana, by two motorcycle-borne youths on January 18, 2016. Another case relates to the murder attempt of Punjab Shiv Sena youth wing president Amit Arora in Ludhiana on February 3, 2016. Arora, a hosiery unit owner, was at Basti Jodhewal Chowk in his car waiting for someone when the two motorcycle-borne men fired at him and fled. He was rushed to a local hospital and survived the attack.

Another case relates to the killing of Shiv Sena leader Durga Dass Gupta in Khanna on April 23, 2016.

The NIA has also taken over cases of killings of Amit Sharma, publicity manager of Sri Hindu Takht, and two followers of Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda. Amit was killed in Ludhiana this January, while the dera followers were killed the next month. The Central agency will also investigate the killing of the pastor of a local church, Sultan Masih, who was shot dead by two assailants in Ludhiana in July this year.

Earlier, in view of the possible national and international ramifications of the conspiracy behind targeted killings, the Punjab Government had decided to hand over the investigation of seven cases to the NIA.

The government has maintained that the modus operandi in all cases was the same.

The decision to transfer the cases was taken after an NIA team, led by its Director YC Modi, held discussions with officials of the Punjab Police earlier this month.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/nia-procures-3-day-remand-of-accused/515538.html

Tribune News Service

Mohali, December 18

The National Investigating Agency (NIA) today procured three-day police remand of Ramandeep, alias Canadian, alias Bagga, and Hardeep Singh, alias Shera, alias Pehalwan, in a case of murder of Satpal Sharma and his son Ramesh at Khanna in February this year. Both the miscreants, who are also accused in the RSS leader Ravinder Gosain murder case, were produced in a special court under tight security here today.

The NIA’s public prosecutor said the three-day police remand of the two accused was procured on a plea of recovery of the weapons used in the murder of the father-son duo, who were followers of Dera Sacha Sauda. He added that the accused had already confessed to their crime.

Satpal Sharma and Ramesh Sharma were shot dead at the dera canteen in Jaghera village of Khanna on February 25 this year and an FIR was registered at the Malaudh police station in this regard.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/pu...rrested-from-igi-airport-in-delhi/516237.html
Gagan K Teja
Tribune News Service
Patiala, December 20

The Patiala police have arrested Inderjit Singh Sandhu, a close accomplice of notorious gangsters Vicky Gounder, Prema Lohoria and Neeta Deol from Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi. He was one of the masterminds in the Nabha jailbreak case and was instrumental in providing logistics, managing finances and providing hideouts to these gangsters.

The accused was travelling from Jordan to New Delhi on a fake passport. He is involved in a number of crimes registered across Punjab. A lookout corner notice had been issued by the Patiala police against the accused. The accused has been sent to three-day police custody and his custodial interrogation is likely to throw significant light on the jailbreak case.

 

[Hindustani78]

Vicky Gounder was arrested in December 2015 as the prime suspect in the murder of a gangster Sukha Kahlwan. He was moved to Nabha jail after a clash with a rival gang in Ropar jail.

http://indianexpress.com/article/in...iate-shot-dead-in-encounter-by-punjab-police/

Punjab’s most wanted gangster Vicky Gounder, 28, and his associate Prema Lahoria were shot dead by Punjab Police in an encounter on Friday, IG Bathinda Mukhwinder Singh Chhina said. Vicky Gounder was one of the six prisoners who had escaped from maximum-security Nabha Jail in 2016.

Chief of Organised Control Crime Unit (OCCU) Inspector General Nilabh Kishore said Gounder was hiding in a house in Pakki village near Hindu Mal Kot in Ganganagar district in Rajasthan on Rajasthan-Punjab border. He added that both were shot dead at around 6 pm. The site of the encounter was about 50 km from Gounder’s village Sarawan Bodla in Lambi constituency of Muktsar district. Also Read: In wanted gangster’s village, regret over sportsman he could have been

Meanwhile, it has emerged that a third person was with Gounder and Lahoria. OCCU AIG Gurmeet Chauhan, who led the police party, said the third person was injured in the encounter, and his identity is yet to be identified.

IG Kishore said there was exchange of fire in which a sub-inspector and an assistant sub-inspector sustained injuries. The circumstances in which the gangsters were killed are unclear.

Gounder was arrested in December 2015 as the prime suspect in the murder of a gangster Sukha Kahlwan. He was moved to Nabha jail after a clash with a rival gang in Ropar jail. Four of the six who escaped with him from jail and at least 26 others, both inside and outside the jail, who helped the six escape had been arrested. But Gounder continued to evade arrest.

Kashmir Singh, the other prisoner who had escaped with Gounder, is still at large.

Vicky Gounder had highway robbery cases in Punjab and several cases in Haryana and Rajasthan as well. However, he was once a star child of his village for winning three gold and two silver medals in discuss throw at national level. He had joined Speed Fund academy in Jalandhar for further training and studies. But he had started involving himself in petty fights, after which he left the academy and engaged in various criminal activities.

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http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/police-on-lookout-for-spy-s-isi-handler/534293.html
Posted at: Jan 26, 2018, 1:38 AM;
last updated: Jan 26, 2018, 1:38 AM (IST)
Police on lookout for spy’s ISI handler

Gian Singh
Ravi Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service
Batala, January 25

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/police-on-lookout-for-spy-s-isi-handler/534293.html

The spy nabbed by the Batala police yesterday has told his interrogators that he was tasked with penetrating Army and BSF ranks in Jammu and along the International Border in the Dera Baba Nanak area, it is learnt.

Surinder Pal Singh Parmar, IG (Border), said the Pakistani handler of Gian Singh alias Gianbir Singh Deol was an ISI operative who was controlling his activities from Indian soil. The police have launched a manhunt for the handler.

The spy was arrested following inputs provided by the Jammu and Kashmir-based Military Intelligence Unit.

A case has been registered against Gian under various Section 120-B (conspiracy) of the IPC and the Official Secrets Act.

Sources said Gian had been shifted under heavy security to the Joint Interrogation Centre, Amritsar.

Batala SSP Opinderjit Singh Ghuman claimed that Gian was also told to get in touch with pro-Khalistan elements in an attempt to “disturb peace” in the area.

The SSP said the spy used to get money and weapons from his handler in exchange for providing information.

“Gian was introduced to the ISI operative by Shamsher Singh, alias Shera, a resident of Jogi Cheema village under Kahnuwan police station,” said Ghuman.

 

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