Chandigarh, Jun 19 (IANS): Punjab Police on Friday said it had busted another terror module with the arrest of what it said were two "Khalistani operatives preparing to carry out terror attacks and targeted killings at the behest of their Pakistani mentors and handlers".
Police said a Germany-made MP5 sub-machine gun, a 9mm pistol with four magazines, and two mobile phones with incriminatory conversations, messages, and photographs etc were seized from the duo.
The mobile phones revealed suspicious transactions with Pakistan-based elements, including photographs, voice messages, as well as the coordinates of a particular geo-location, Director General of Police (DGP) Dinkar Gupta said.
In addition, a large variety of posts and web links, connected with the formation of Khalistan, were also found on the mobile phone of accused Gurmeet Singh, who was allegedly in touch with the ISI and anti-India elements sponsored by the Pakistan establishment.
Giving details, Gupta said acting on a tip-off late on Thursday night, an Amritsar Rural police team raided a spot near Gurdaspuria Dhaba on the GT Road and apprehended Gurmeet Singh and Vikram Singh.
According to the DGP, 44-year-old Gurmeet Singh divulged during questioning that the photographs and voice messages had been shared with them by Pakistan-based handlers to locate and pick up sophisticated weapons kept at that location by their associates.
He said their Pakistan-based handlers had been instructing them to carry out terror attacks in Punjab, especially targeting of persons belonging to a particular community, to further the cause of Khalistan.
Gurmeet Singh allegedly revealed he had visited Pakistan about three years ago to meet the handlers.
The accused was earlier involved in a case of fraud along with his brother, and a case was registered against him in Amritsar.
Efforts were on to know the identities of the Pakistan-based mentors and handlers of the terrorist module, said Gupta, adding that further investigations to unearth the full links and ramifications of the terror module, including those based across the border, were in progress.
The DGP said the police was working 24x7 to thwart the nefarious designs of anti-India elements trying to disturb the state's communal harmony and law and order, in furtherance of their separatist and divisive agenda.