With the arrest of a former Army Jawan, the Punjab Police on Tuesday claimed to have busted another targeted killing module backed by Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) handlers sitting abroad. Four operatives of this module, including a former Army Jawan, were arrested by Punjab Police on Tuesday.
These arrests have been made within days after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested some Khalistani terrorists involved in target killings and extortion.
"Punjab Police arrest a former Army jawan who had raised a terror module to carry out targeted killings in Punjab. Jaspreet Noopi of Ropar, a murder accused, had escaped from Patiala Jail in April 2021," Director General of Punjab Police, Dinkar Gupta, tweeted after the high-profile arrest.
The main accused Jaspreet Singh alias Noopi had joined the Indian Army as a Sepoy in 2012. He was lodged in jail in a murder case in 2017 from where he had managed to escape in the month of April this year.
According to police, after escaping from jail, Noopi came in contact with foreign-based KLF handlers who motivated and induced him to raise a terror module to carry out targeted killings in the State.
Abroad-based terrorists funding terror outfits in Punjab.
Quoting DGP, Punjab, some reports claimed that Noopi had come in contact with anti-India individuals and elements based abroad with links to KLF terrorist outfit, who had funded him from abroad for carrying out targeted killings in Punjab and also arranged Pistols for him from UP to carry out terror acts in Punjab. Noopi also did recce of sensitive targets in Punjab in pursuance of his violent intentions.
According to police, preliminary investigations revealed that the module had received funding from abroad via various digital platforms including Western Union, Paytm, etc and foreign handlers also provided three weapons to the module from Rudrapur in Uttrakhand.
NIA already busted a module of KTF
On July 1, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had conducted raids at nine locations in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab to bust the module of the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF). The arrested accused persons have killed three businessmen/entities based in Punjab and identified other targets.
Dreaded terrorist Hardeep Singh alias Nijjar, chief of the KTF terror outfit, has reportedly formed terrorist gangs comprising gangsters and shooters based in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh to collect money from business houses through extortions.
Punjab police arrest two serving soldiers for 'spying, leaking information to Pakistan
Meanwhile, the Punjab Police also arrested two Army personnel on charges of allegedly spying and providing classified documents to the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of Pakistan.
Those arrested have been identified as Sepoy Harpreet Singh (23), who hails from Amritsar and was posted in Anantnag. He joined the Indian Army in 2017. Sepoy Gurbhej Singh (23), a native of Tarn Taran and was working as a clerk in Kargil. He had joined the Indian Army in 2015.
Punjab Police arrest a former Army jawan who had raised a terror module to carry out targeted killings in Punjab.
— DGP Punjab Police (@DGPPunjabPolice) July 6, 2021
Jaspreet Noopi of Ropar, a murder accused, had escaped from Patiala Jail in April 2021. pic.twitter.com/1mDXaTiuYM
