Key accused in Amritsar, Batala blasts killed in encounter
The development comes after police busted an ISI-backed BKI module, arresting two operatives, Mohit and Vishal from Batala.
A key accused involved in hurling explosives in Amritsar’s Jaintipur and Batala’s Raimal was killed in an exchange of fire with the police in Batala on Thursday evening.
The development came hours after the police busted Pakistan’s ISI-backed Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terror module with the arrest of its two operatives identified as Mohit of Buddhe di Khui in Batala and Vishal of Basarpura in Batala.
Punjab director general of police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav’s post on X, earlier in the day, had read: “Punjab Police busts a terror module backed by Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI-Pakistan) responsible for attacks in Batala and solves the attack cases in Jaintipur and Raimal carried out on January 15, 2025 and February 17, 2025, respectively (sic).”
Explosives had been hurled at the residence of a late ex-chairman of Amritsar zila parishad in Jaintipur on January 15 and near the residence of a policeman’s relative on February 17 in Batala. Happy Passia had used social media to claim responsibility for both the blasts.
Deputy inspector general of police (DIG), Border Range, Satinder Singh said following disclosures that accused Mohit had concealed arms and ammunition at an isolated place, he was taken for its recovery.
Upon reaching the spot, the accused opened fire at the police party to evade custody. In response, the police acted in self-defence, he said.
The injured accused was taken to the Batala civil hospital, where he was declared brought dead, Singh said.
Police recovered a .30 bore pistol, used by Mohit to fire at the police party, he added.
“During the course of action, our one police officer has also sustained a bullet injury,” said the DIG.
Batala senior superintendent of police (SSP) Suhail Qasim Mir said police teams have identified two more accused persons involved in blast cases and a manhunt is on to nab them.
