The CIA II wing of Ludhiana Commissionerate in a joint operation with the Counter Intelligence wing has nabbed seven members of the banned militant group Babbar Khalsa International (BKI). No member in the group has a criminal history. 

Those arrested include a teenager while others are in the age group of 20-30. The accused have been identified as Kuldeep Singh alias Rimpy of Subash Nagar, Jasvir Singh alias Jassa of Tarn Taran, Amanpreet Singh alias Amna of Bhogpur, Manpreet Singh of Smalke village (Moga), Onkar Singh of Sultanwind (Amritsar), Jugraj Sigh of Khilchia (Amritsar) and a minor boy of Amritsar.

The police have recovered a pistol of 32 bore with 20 cartridges and two pistols of 315 bore with 13 cartridges from their possession. Police Commissioner RN Dhoke said all seven had also received funds from key BKI member Surinder Singh Babbar from England through hawala. Babbar had also been arranging weapons for the members in Punjab to revive terrorism in the state. 

The officer said Amanpreet was the leader of the group in Punjab. “They also held several meetings in the state to chalk out the strategy to orchestrate killings. They also did a survey of some places. We have got a seven-day remand of the accused to probe their network,” he added. 

ADCP (Crime) Satnam Singh said BKI key member Surinder Singh had been using several Facebook and WhatsApp groups to approach youth inclined towards the Khalistani ideology. “We have nabbed seven of them. It is possible that more youths might have been recruited,” he added.