PUNJAB POLICE NAB 2 ACTIVISTS OF KHALISTAN TIGER FORCE INVOLVED IN MURDER OF A DERA PREMI AS REVENGE OVER SACRILEGE CASES

Punjab Police has arrested two activists of the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), allegedly involved in several heinous crimes in the past less than one year, including the murder of a Dera Premi and firing on a priest. The two were acting on the directions of KTF’s Canada based chief, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, whose name incidentally figured in the list of Khalistani operatives that was handed over by Chief Minister, Captain Amarinder Singh, to Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, during the latter’s visit to India in 2018. 

With the arrest of  Lovepreet Singh @ Ravi and Ram Singh @ Sonu, late on Saturday night from the rear side of Senior Secondary School near railway crossing Mehna, District Moga, the police also foiled a plan to kill another Dera Premi, who they were targeting to take revenge in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib sacrilege cases. Three 0.32 bore pistols with 38 live cartridges and one 0.315 bore pistol with 10 live cartridges, along with two magazines, were seized from the suspects.

Besides, Nijjar, three of their other KTF’s co-conspirators/masterminds, identified as Arshdip, Ramandip and Charanjit @ Rinku Bihla, are hiding out in Surrey (B.C) Canada, while one, Kamaljeet Sharma @ Kamal, is still absconding, DGP Dinkar Gupta disclosed on Sunday. He said while Arshdeep Singh @Arsh s/o Charanjit Singh r/o village Dalla (Moga) and Ramandeep Singh @ Raman Judge s/o Sukhjinder Singh r/o Ferozepur went to Canada legally in 2019 and 2017 respectively, Charanjit Singh @ Rinku Bihla s/o Gurjit Singh r/o village Bihla, Distt. Barnala, had gone there illegally in around 2013-14.

According to initial investigations, which were led by SSP Moga, Harmanbir Singh Gill, Gupta said Lovepreet @ Ravi and Kamaljeet Sharma @ Kamal were known to Arshdeep, as they all belonged to the same village, since childhood. Ram Singh @ Sonu R/O Ghal Khurd, who was a student at ITI Moga.  were known to Kamal since college days. All were given money by Arshdeep, who sent it through Western Union money transfers.  

On November 20 last year, Sonu and Kamal had killed Manohar Lal, a Dera Premi, at Bhagta Bhaika in Distt. Bathinda. Sonu fired 3-4 shots with Pistols in both hands, and Kamal also fired, said the DGP.

Sonu and Kamal were also involved in firing at a priest, Kamaldeep Sharma, in village Bhar Singh Pura in Phillaur (Jalandhar Rural) on January 31 this year. The priest, who was shot at thrice, was seriously injured along with a girl in the attack, allegedly carried out by the suspects on the directions of Nijjar. In September 2020, Nijjar was designated a terrorist by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, and the NIA had also attached his properties in Bhar Singh Pura village under Section 51A of UAPA.

Kamal and Ravi were involved, along with Arshdeep (who had come to India at that time), in the murder of their associate, Sukha Lamme, on June 27, 2020. They injected poison into Sukha at an abandoned house at Village Dala and then, after burning his face, threw the body in Daudhar canal at Pul Madhoke. Earlier, on June 25, Ravi, Kamal and Sukha had fired at Maan’s residence at Village Lamma Jatt Pura, Distt. Ludhiana (Rural).

A few days later, on July 14, 2020, Ravi and Kamal killed the Tejinder @ Pinka, owner Super Shine Clothes, to terrorise the people of Moga city for exploit them subsequently for ransom. Ravi fired at Pinka and Kamal stood outside the shop, investigations have revealed. In the latest incident, on February 9 this year, Ravi and Sonu also attempted to kill owner of Sharma Sweets, Moga. 

The DGP said investigations were in progress to unravel further links of the accused and trace other previous crimes in which they might have been involved. A hunt has been launched to arrest the absconding accused, Kamal. He said while a Red Corner Notice was issued against Nijjer, who has a lso been put on the “No Fly List” by the Canadian authorities, sometime back, international warrants will be obtained, and Red Corner Notices will be issued against the other radicals based in Canada. Gupta said the government would also seek their deportation to India to face prosecution and criminal trial.