Two with links to Khalistan Liberation Force arrested in Punjab

Chandigarh, Nov 8 (PTI) Two Amritsar residents were arrested on Saturday for their alleged association with the terrorist organisation Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF), Punjab police said.

According to police, preliminary probe revealed that they were "acting on the directions of their foreign handlers" and had procured illegal weapons from across the border to carry out criminal activities in Punjab.

A foreign-made .30 calibre PX5 pistol, a .30 calibre pistol, a foreign-made .45 calibre pistol, one .32 calibre pistol and one revolver, along with 20 cartridges, were seized from the arrested accused -- Bikramjit Singh of Dhariwal village and Karanbir Singh of Saisra Kalan village.

The duo were also allegedly involved in the murder of one Malkit Singh at Raja Sansi in Amritsar, police said.

Two unidentified persons opened fire at Malkit Singh when he was working in his fields at Dhariwal village along with his father on November 1. Malkit Singh succumbed to his wounds in a hospital.

Punjab police chief Gaurav Yadav said Bikramjit Singh is associated with the terrorist organisation Khalistan Liberation Force and has a criminal history, with cases registered under the Explosives Act and Arms Act.

He was also involved in the 2018 grenade attack on a religious place at Raja Sansi, he said.

Preliminary investigation revealed that, on the directions of his foreign handlers, Bikramjit procured illegal weapons from across the border to carry out sensational crimes in Punjab.

Deputy Inspector General of Police (Border Range) Sandeep Goel said acting on reliable inputs, police teams from Amritsar (rural) arrested Bikramjit from near Gurdwara Sahib at Dhariwal village.

On the disclosures made by Bikramjit, police arrested Karanbir from Adda near Kukranwala, he said.

The DIG claimed Punjab Police has thwarted sensational crimes in the state with the arrest of these two KLF operatives. PTI CHS NSD NSD