Chandigarh, Sep 17 (IANS): Punjab Police on Friday busted a secessionist module of banned 'unlawful association' Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) with the arrest of its three members after recovering lakhs of secessionist pamphlets promoting 'Referendum 2020' activities from their possession during a raid.

The SFJ was banned by the government of India in July 2019 for its involvement in promoting secession as well as violent militancy in Punjab, besides pushing the Sikh Referendum 2020.

Their activities were aimed at creating a divide between communities and disturbing the peace and communal harmony in the state of Punjab.

Those arrested have been identified as Gurwinder Singh from Rampur in Khanna, and Jagwinder Singh and Sukhdev Singh, both residents of Morinda in Ropar.

The police have also booked SFJ leaders Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, Harpreet Singh, Bikramjeet Singh and Gursahai Makhu, all based in the US, and Jagjeet Singh Mangat from Khanna.

A police spokesman said that the police, in the presence of the duty magistrate, conducted raids in Rampur village in Khanna and recovered over 2.84 lakh pamphlets carrying Referendum 2020 activities.

The police also recovered one canon printer, spray pump and spray bottles for writing secessionist graffiti on walls, one laptop, three mobile phones and one Honda City car.

During preliminary investigation, it has been found that the accused Gurwinder Singh was radicalised and motivated by a YouTube channel named "US Media International" being operated by J.S. Dhaliwal, who further introduced him to Pannu.

The spokesman added that on the instructions of Pannu, Gurwinder had installed Khalistani flags on the premises of the government school at his village.