Punjab police nab key operative of Pak-based terrorist Rinda from Rajasthan

Chandigarh: The Punjab Police's Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF), in a joint operation with Central agencies, has arrested a key operative of Pakistan-based terrorist Harvinder Singh, alias Rinda, and US-based Harpreet Singh, alias Happy Passia, from Rajasthan, Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said on Friday.

The arrested accused, Kailash Khichan, was wanted in the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) case registered in Fazilka in September 2023.

The accused has a criminal history with a number of criminal cases pertaining to extortion, the NDPS Act and the Arms Act registered against him in Punjab and Rajasthan.

DGP Yadav said following the name of Khichan figuring in various terrorist modules busted by Punjab Police in recent past, teams of the AGTF headed by ADGP Promod Ban under the supervision of AIG Sandeep Goel and led by DSP Bikramjit Singh Brar managed to track the location of the accused in Rajasthan and arrested him from Lohawat village in Phalodi district.

"Police teams have also recovered one .30 calibre Chinese pistol along with eight cartridges from the possession of the accused Khichan," he said.

The DGP said preliminary investigations have revealed that the accused Khichan, on the directions of terrorist Rinda, was supplying weapons to the associates of terrorist outfit Babbar Khalistan International (BKI) to carry out crimes in the state.

AIG Goel said more arrests are expected soon.