In a major success in the operations carried out by Punjab and Delhi police against Khalistani terror-gangster nexus, a wanted gangster and a close associate of fugitive Landa Harike were arrested, said a police official on Friday.
One of the arrested accused was identified as Rajan Bhatti, a resident of Gurdaspur. "Bhatti is named in 15 criminal cases and he was wanted in FIR 06/2022, u/s 153, 153-A,120-B IPC, 25 Arms Act, PS SSOC SAS Nagar, Mohali, Punjab"- a statement released by state police read.
"Police registered an FIR regarding target killings and disturbing communal harmony in Punjab on the directions of Landa Harike and Harvinder Singh alias Rinda," it added.
Based on disclosures made by accused Bhatti, police arrested another criminal named Kanwaljeet Singh, resident of Makhu, Firozepur.
Accused Chinna along with an accomplice was zeroed in near Didar Hotel, Beas, Amritsar Rural. The concerned local police were informed and a team of PS Beas, Amritsar Rural joined the Delhi Police team for a joint operation.
Upon being cornered, the two suspects took off in different directions after opening fire at the police team that went to raid. A police personnel Ct. Yogesh of CI sustained a bullet injury in his leg during the encounter.
'Khalistan Zindabad', 'Referendum 2020' painted on walls
Earlier, "Khalistan-related” graffiti appeared on walls in areas of west Delhi on Thursday. They said a case has been registered in the matter and the graffiti was removed. The walls were painted with slogans like "Khalistan Zindabad" and "Referendum 2020", the officials said.
When asked, Delhi Police PRO Suman Nalwa said, "On Thursday early morning hours, multiple graffiti raising objectionable slogans appeared in the area of Vikaspuri, Janakpuri, Paschim Vihar, Peeragarhi and other parts of west Delhi,” "Some people had painted anti-national, Khalistan-related graffiti. This is not a security-related issue," she said.
Accordingly, a case under sections 154B (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national-integration) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC was registered by the Special Cell unit of Delhi Police, Nalwa said.
Delhi Police is ensuring that no wrong activities take place ahead of Republic Day, she said. “This doesn't affect our security. Since SFJ (Sikhs for Justice) is a banned organisation, it is trying to make itself known and wants to be in the news,” the PRO said.
Fringe organisation Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), run by a few radical Sikhs of foreign nationality in the US, Canada, the UK, etc, was declared unlawful by the Union government under the provisions of Section 3(1) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
The Centre, by its July 10, 2019 notification, had declared the SFJ an unlawful association and had banned it for five years, saying the group''s primary objective was to establish an "independent and sovereign country" in Punjab and it openly espouses the cause of Khalistan and in that process, challenges the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India.
(With PTI input)
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