Most wanted ultra held in Punjab

 

Chandigarh: Punjab Police's newly-constituted Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) on Sunday arrested one of the most wanted terrorists Charanjit Singh alias Patialavi — an active member of the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI). Patialavi had been evading arrest for the last 12 years using various identities and hideouts.

 Charanjit Singh alias Patialavi was an active member of the BKI terrorist module which was busted by the Punjab Police in 2010 for its involvement in the Shingar Cinema Ludhiana bomb blasts in 2007, and other blasts at Kali Mata Mandir, Patiala, and Ambala in 2010. All the other associates of Patialavi were arrested in 2010 by the Punjab Police. AGTF Deputy Inspector-General Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said that following reliable information that Patialavi was visiting the area, AGTF teams comprising AIG Gurmeet Singh Chauhan and DSP Bikramjit Singh Brar arrested him from near Gurudwara Sahib at Lali Village in the State's Dera Bassi.

 Bhullar said that accused Patialavi, a resident of Butta Singh Wala Village in Patiala, was declared a Proclaimed Offender (PO) in a case (FIR No. 154 dated July 23, 2010), registered under Sections 4 and 5 (attempt to cause an explosion, or for making/keeping explosive to endanger life/property) of the Explosive Act, and Sections 17 (raising funds for the terrorist act), 18 (conspiracy) and 20 (being member of a terrorist gang) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) at Machhiwara Police Station.

 However, Patialavi's other associate — deceased terrorist Gurmail Singh Boba of Butta Singh Wala — was arrested in the same case along with recovery of detonators and RDX, he added.

 "Patialavi, disguising himself as a granthi (priest) was  staying in the Gurudwara Sahib at Kharagpur in West Bengal and was not using any communication device," said Bhullar, adding that different identification cards on West Bengal addresses have been recovered from his possession.

 Further investigation is in process, which may lead to more arrests and important disclosures, Bhullar said.

 The Punjab Government recently constituted an AGTF, headed by ADGP Promod Ban, under the supervision of the Director General of Police (DGP) VK Bhawra to intensify action against gangsters. (Agencies)