Two gangster-turned-terrorists arrested: Punjab DGP

Chandigarh, Dec 15 (PTI) Two gangster-turned-terrorists, who were operating from overseas locations and attempting to orchestrate terror activities in Punjab, have been arrested in Mumbai in an inter-state operation aided by Central agencies, police said on Monday.

Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said the two -- Sajan Masih and Manish Bedi-- were important nodes of Pakistan-based and ISI-supported (Pak-based terrorist) Harvinder Singh Rinda and US-based detained (gangster) Happy Passian.

"Major crackdown on terrorism and organised crime, two gangster-turned-terrorists arrested.They were operating from overseas locations, including #Dubai and #Armenia, while attempting to orchestrate criminal and terror activities in #Punjab," he said in a post on X.

Sharing further details in a video message, the DGP said Masih and Bedi were arrested from Mumbai in an intelligence-based and inter-state operation carried out along with the support of the central agencies.

He said Masih belongs to Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district, while Bedi is from Amritsar.

The DGP said both had shifted from Dubai to Armenia and also changed their base in some other countries.

"They were important nodes of Pak-based and ISI-supported (Pak-based terrorist) Harvinder Singh Rinda and US-based detained (gangster) Happy Passian. Their involvement is in many crimes, including murders, extortions, in Dera Baba Nanak, Batala, grenade attacks in Amritsar," he said in the video message, while terming their arrest a major success for the Punjab Police.

In April, Passia (29) was arrested by the FBI and the US Immigration department's Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), in Sacramento in the US.

The DGP said Punjab Police is also tightening its noose against Bedi and Masih's associate Shamsher alias Shera, who is coordinating terror activities based in Armenia.

He warned foreign-based nodes that they will be held accountable for their crimes and face the law in India. PTI SUN DV DV