ARREST OF BKI OPERATIVES: Mastermind Khanpuriya declared as PO

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) court, Mohali, on Monday declared Kulwinderjit Singh alias Khanpuriya, a Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) militant, as a proclaimed offender (PO).

The NIA had moved an application seeking declaration of Khanpuriya as PO in a case registered against five BKI operatives on charges of trying to disturb the state’s communal harmony.

The others booked in the case — Ravinderpal Singh alias Ravi, Jagdev Singh, Harcharan Singh and Nishan Singh alias Punia —have already been arrested.

The NIA in November last year had filed a chargesheet in the case in which it had named Khanpuriya, who is currently in Malaysia, as the mastermind.

The agency had said the accused were planning to target places/persons in order to destabilise the law and order situation in Punjab by reviving terrorism. Khanpuriya and his associates were planning to execute mass terror attacks by way of explosions.

Investigation had revealed that Khanpuriya and his associates raised funds and arranged arms and ammunition to commit terrorist acts. Photos and videos of reconnaissance done by the accused had also been recovered from their electronic devices.

Khanpuriya had been involved in many terrorist activities in the past. He had shifted to Malaysia in January 2019.

The Punjab Police had in May last year arrested Jagdev Singh and Ravinderpal Singh, who were allegedly trying to disturb the state’s communal harmony during the Ghalughara week. The duo was allegedly arranging funds and weapons for sleeper cells on the directions of Khanpuriya. Their associates Harcharan Singh and Nishan Singh were arrested later.

The accused were booked under the relevant sections of the Arms Act, the Explosive Substances (Amendment) Act 2001 and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 at the state special operations cell police station, Amritsar. The case was later taken over by the NIA.