Gujarat ATS Nabs Associate of Pakistani Gangster in Punjab Grenade Smuggling Case
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Ahmedabad/Banaskantha, April 5 (NationPress) The Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) of Gujarat, in collaboration with the Special Operations Group (SOG) in Banaskantha, has arrested a suspect from Punjab, who is reportedly connected to a grenade smuggling and terror network with links across borders, officials announced on Sunday.
The individual, known as Bikramjit Singh alias Vicky, hails from Nangal Panwan in Amritsar and was caught at a dhaba in Deesa, where he had been employed as a casual laborer.
Authorities indicated that the operation was initiated based on specific intelligence provided by the Punjab Police regarding a wanted suspect in a case filed by the Special State Operational Cell (SSOC) in Amritsar.
After thorough analysis by senior officials of the Gujarat ATS, a team managed to locate the suspect.
“In response to the information received from Punjab Police, our team successfully identified the accused at a dhaba in Banaskantha's Deesa and took him into custody for detailed interrogation,” stated an ATS officer.
Following his arrest, Bikramjit Singh was transported to Ahmedabad for questioning.
Initial investigations revealed that he was allegedly collaborating with Pakistan-based gangster Shehzad Bhatti and his associate, Abid Jutt.
Officials disclosed that he played a role in facilitating the delivery of grenades and in recruiting local individuals from Punjab into the terror network.
“He maintained a distance from Punjab while overseeing the recruitment of local operatives and was instrumental in planning attacks involving grenades on police stations and other security units as directed by his handlers,” the officer remarked.
Authorities suspect that Bhatti is affiliated with Pakistan’s intelligence agency, ISI, and has connections to terror activities in Punjab, including orchestrating grenade assaults on security establishments and notable figures.
In this regard, the SSOC Amritsar had filed a case on April 3 under Section 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Section 4 of the Explosive Substances Act, 1908, and Section 25 of the Arms Act, 1959, leading to the arrest of several suspects.
The Gujarat ATS has informed Punjab Police about the detention, and legal processes are currently being followed to transfer the suspect for further investigation.