Has Punjab Police Uncovered Another Pakistan-Supported Terror Module?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Chandigarh, Feb 11 (NationPress) In a meticulously planned operation, the Special Operations Cell of Punjab Police in Amritsar has successfully dismantled another Pakistan-supported terror module, averting a significant terror threat. This was achieved through the arrest of a suspect and the recovery of an improvised explosive device (IED) enclosed in a metallic case, complete with a remote control, as well as a foreign-manufactured pistol and ammunition, as reported by Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav on Wednesday.
The suspect has been identified as Shubham Kumar, also known as Shubham Srivastav, hailing from Sarosa village in Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh.
This development follows the previous day's bust of another Pakistan’s ISI-backed terror cell, resulting in the arrest of operative Rahul Kumar, known as Gaju, from Amritsar, along with the confiscation of an RDX-based IED.
DGP Yadav stated that initial investigations reveal that the detained individual had been in communication with a handler located in Pakistan via secure messaging platforms. The terror consignment was smuggled across the border and collected from a specified site on the city's outskirts, he further explained.
"The IED was designed for targeted attacks across several states, particularly Punjab and Delhi," Yadav remarked, adding that efforts are ongoing to dismantle the complete terror network.
Detailing the operation, Assistant Inspector General of Amritsar, Sukhminder Singh Mann, disclosed that police teams acted on precise intelligence indicating that a shipment containing an IED and weapons had been dispatched from Pakistan via drone by operatives there, and was subsequently retrieved by their accomplices in India to execute blasts and terrorist operations in Punjab, Delhi, and other regions of the country.
In a swift response, special police teams were assembled and an operation was initiated, resulting in the capture of suspect Shubham Kumar and the recovery of the IED and a pistol from an area near a dargarh along the Amritsar-Jalandhar GT Road. The AIG noted that investigations have uncovered the suspect's strong radicalization and his migration from Uttar Pradesh to Amritsar following promises of financial rewards from his handler. He retrieved the consignment as directed by his handler from a designated location on the city's outskirts, with further investigations currently underway.