Wanted” in several militant offences across India having Rs10 lakh cash reward, a Pak-based chief of militant outfit Bhindranwale Tiger Force of Khalistan (BTFK) Rattandeep Singh has been arrested on the outskirts of Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh by the Punjab Police.
The arrest was made on Wednesday in a special operation conducted by the Punjab Police with a central agency. The police have claimed that another attempt by the ISI to revive militancy in Punjab besides carrying out a major strike on the eve of forthcoming festive season has been foiled.
A 19-member Punjab Police team, headed by inspectors Harvinderpal Singh and Balbir Singh of the State Special Operations Cell (SSOC), Amritsar, had been camping at Gorakhpur since September 15. Necessary co-ordination with the local UP Police was carried out for the arrest.
At the time of Rattandeep’s arrest, he was carrying a Pakistani passport and a Pakistan identity card in the name of Hussain Sheikh Zahid son of Sheikh Nasiruddin. Besides, Rs300 (in Pak currency) and Rs11,000 (in Indian currency) were also recovered.
He was wanted in connection with bomb blast at Chandigarh’s Passport Office in Sector 34 in 1999, bomb blast on railway bridge in Panipat in 1999, planting of an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) on railway track at Shahabad-Markanda bridge in 1998, encounter with police and escape from custody in 1999, and recovery of arms and explosives in district Jind in 1996 and 2000.
Preliminary investigations have revealed that Rattandeep’s first target was “a prominent Hindu leader” — who already has the personal protection provided by the Punjab Police.
“This fresh attempt by the ISI to revive militancy in the State has come about a year after three targeted plans had been pre-empted and foiled by the Punjab Police in August and September 2013…At that time also, prominent Hindu personalities at Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Pathankot had been targeted,” said the State Special Operations Cell assistant inspector general (AIG) of police Manmohan Singh.
He said that those attempts had been made by Khalistan liberation Force (KlF) modules all of whom were arrested. “Presently, KlF head Harminder Singh, alias Mintu, is in Pakistan and no fresh activity of the KlF has come to notice,” he said.AIG shared that in February 2013, Narain Singh, alias Chaura, had been sent by the ISI to attempt revival of terrorism and he had been arrested by the Punjab Police.
“Rattandeep is a Pakistan-based militant, who had been living in Pakistan since 1993. In between, he has been coming to India to carry out strikes. And he has recently re-entered India to carry out a major strike,” he said.
Singh said that Rattandeep was the kingpin of a group of militants who had planted explosives in a vehicle in Amritsar near Circuit House in May 2010 and for that purpose he had smuggled in a consignment of weapons and explosives from across the border.
“His associates in this offence — Pal Singh of France, Gurmukh Singh, alias Ganna, and Makhan Singh, alias Amli — have been convicted under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act for 27 years, 17 years and 10 years respectively. His other associates Narain Singh, alias Chaura, Sukhdev Singh, alias Sukha Chira, Joga Singh, Gurmeet Singh, Sher Singh, Bakshish Singh, alias Baba, Daljit Singh, alias Jeetu, Pakistan national Mohd Ishfaq and Satpal Singh, alias ladi are undergoing trial,” he said.
He added, “Rattandeep and Chaura had absconded at that time. Chaura was trapped and arrested by the Punjab Police in February 2013 and is presently lodged in Amritsar jail… Now with Rattandeep’s arrest, all operatives of terrorist gang involved in the offence have been arrested.”
The AIG informed that a cash reward of Rs10 lakh was announced for Rattandeep in 2011, however, “a policy decision has been taken by the Punjab Police not to claim any cash rewards”. He said that eight police personnel who played an important role in the operation have been granted promotions to the next higher rank by the Director General of Police.
CASES against Rattandeep