New Delhi, Jun 28 (IANS): In a major success, the Special Cell of the Delhi Police on Saturday said that it has arrested three suspected sympathisers of the Khalistan Liberation Movement (KLF), who were planning to execute targeted killings in various northern states.
According to the Special Cell officers, the accused have been identified as Mohinder Pal Singh (29), a resident of Delhi; Gurtej Singh (41), a resident of Punjab and Lovepreet (21), a resident of Haryana.
The Special Cell sleuths also recovered three pistols and seven live cartridges from their possession. Three phones with many incriminating videos and photographs related to the Khalistan Movement were also recovered from them.
The Special Cell officers claimed that their main targets included a Ram Raheem supporter and a Shiv Sena leader from Amritsar.
The officer said, one of the arrested accused has disclosed his association with Gopal Singh Chawla, a close aide of 26/11 Mumbai terror attack mastermind and Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorist Hafiz Saeed.
A Special Cell officer said that it got a tip-off regarding the activities of Mohinder, a sympathiser of KLF. He was planning to commit a terrorist activity in the national capital. Thereafter, a trap was laid near Hastsal on June 15 and Mohinder was arrested.
He said that after the interrogation of Mohinder, Lovepreet was arrested from Kaithal district in Haryana.
Later, the duo led the police to Mansa in Punjab where Gurtez was arrested.
The Special Cell officer further claimed that the electronic interception showed terrorists planning to carry out terror strike in the city.
The officer said that Gurtez first came in contact with the KLF members and showed willingness to join the organization.
"He later increased his proximity Pak ISI handler namely Abdullah and Avtar Singh Pannu of Sikhs For Justice (banned in India). He was given work to lure youths for the organization. Lovepreet and more than five other youth were indoctrinated by him on the behest of his bosses based across the border," the officer said.
According to Delhi police sources say, the accused had arranged a pistol from local conduits and were planning to extort Rs 10 lakh from two local businessmen for arranging more weapons and giving momentum to the group plans.
The source further claimed that their Pakistani handler Abdullah, asked them to recruit fresh youth for training in terror camps of Pakistan and promised them to provide them weapons like AK-47 and sophisticated pistol for their module.
According to Special Cell officers, the particular module was not only in touch with the ISI and KLF, but was also recently found coordinating with Avtar Singh Pannu the SFJ coordinator based in USA.
A Delhi Police source further said that they have been attending court hearing of the arrested militants to get in touch with other like minded youths.
"Lovepreet had made a Facebook Page by name 'KhalsaBhindrewalaji'. On this page, he has written his name as 'Lovepreet Singh 1984', and 'Lovepreet Singh Khalistani'. He has shared several incriminating videos with posters/photos and songs supporting Khalistan leaders and Khalistan movement," the source added.