Punjab Police nabs 2 Khalistan Tiger Force activists involved in Dera Premi's murder

Punjab Police on Saturday arrested two activists of the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), allegedly involved in the murder of a Dera Premi and firing on a priest.

"With the arrest of Lovepreet Singh alias Ravi and Ram Singh alias Sonu, late on Saturday night from the railway crossing Mehna in Moga district, the police also foiled a plan to kill another Dera Premi, who they were targeting to take revenge in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib sacrilege cases. Three 0.32 bore pistols with 38 live cartridges and one 0.315 bore pistol with 10 live cartridges, along with two magazines, were seized from the suspects," reads the Punjab Police statement.

According to Punjab Police, the two accused were acting on the directions of KTF's Canada-based chief Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Notably, Nijjar's name is mentioned in the list of Khalistani operatives that was handed over by Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, during the latter's visit to India in 2018.

"Besides Nijjar, three of their other KTF's masterminds, identified as Arshdip, Ramandip and Charanjit alias Rinku Bihla are hiding out in Surrey (BC) Canada, while one Kamaljeet Sharma alias Kamal is still absconding. Charanjit Singh had gone there illegally in around 2013-14," DGP Dinkar Gupta said.

The DGP said Ravi and Kamal were known to Arshdeep since childhood as they all belonged to the same village. Sonu, who was a student at ITI Moga, had known Kamal since their college days. All three persons were given money by Arshdeep, who sent it through Western Union money transfers.

According to Police, Sonu and Kamal had killed Manohar Lal, a Dera Premi at Bhagta Bhaika in Bathinda on November 20 last year.

The DGP further said Sonu and Kamal were also involved in firing at a priest, Kamaldeep Sharma, in village Bhar Singh Pura in Phillaur on January 31 this year. The priest, who was shot thrice, was seriously injured along with a girl in the attack, allegedly carried out by the suspects on Nijjar's directions.

In September 2020, Nijjar was designated a terrorist by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the NIA had also attached his properties in Bhar Singh Pura village under Section 51A of UAPA.

According to police, Kamal, Ravi and Arshdeep (who had come to India at that time) were involved in the murder of their associate Sukha Lamme on June 27, 2020. They injected poison into Sukha at an abandoned house at Village Dala and then, after burning his face, threw the body in the Daudhar canal at Pul Madhoke.

Further, on July 14, 2020, Ravi and Kamal killed Tejinder alias Pinka, the owner of Super Shine Clothes, to terrorise the people of Moga city for the purpose of exploiting them for ransom. On February 9, Ravi and Sonu also attempted to kill the owner of Sharma Sweets, Moga, police said.

The DGP said investigations were in progress to unravel further links of the accused and trace other previous crimes in which they might have been involved. A hunt has been launched to arrest the absconding accused Kamal.

Punjab DGP informed a Red Corner Notice was issued against Nijjer, who has also been put on the "No Fly List" by the Canadian authorities and international warrants will be obtained. Further, Red Corner Notices will be issued against the other radicals based in Canada.

Gupta said the government would also seek their deportation to India to face prosecution and criminal trial.

( With inputs from ANI )

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