Thwarting a possible terrorist attack around Republic Day, the Punjab Police on Friday have recovered 40 millimetre (mm) Under Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL) with two 40 mm compatible grenades, 3.79 kilogram RDX, nine electrical detonators and two sets of timer devices for IEDs from Gurdaspur.

The inspector general of police (IGP) border range, Mohinish Chawla, said as per the information, UBGL is a short-range grenade launching area weapon with an effective range of 150 meters and It could be detrimental to the VVIP security as well. The recovery was made on the disclosure of Malkeet Singh, a resident of village Gazikot in Gurdaspur, who was arrested by the Gurdaspur Police on Thursday, based on secret information.

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The police have also booked co-conspirators of Malkeet, identified as Sukhpreet Singh alias Sukh Ghuman, Tharanjot Singh alias Thanna and Sukhmeetpal Singh alias Sukh Bikhariwal; all residents of Gurdaspur, besides, Pakistan-based International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) chief Lakhbir Singh Rode and fugitive gangster Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh Dalla.

Chawla said investigations hitherto, in this case, has revealed that the arrested accused Malkeet was in direct contact with Sukh Ghuman, who had further conspired with ISYF chief Lakhbir Rode, an individual designated terrorist under UA (P) Act and fugitive gangster Arsh Dalla, native of Moga and now based in Canada. The consignment of explosives were sent by Lakhbir Rode from Pakistan, he added.

Senior superintendent of police, Gurdaspur Nanak Singh said that the role of Malkeet Singh in retrieval and delivery of fire arms/explosive consignments intended for recently busted ISYF terror module busted by SBS Nagar Police, was revealed during investigation therein.

“Investigations are on to identify remaining members of the busted terrorist modules, recover the remaining terrorist hardware received by them and unravel the entire conspiracy, hatched by ISI of Pakistan and Lakhbir Rode,” he added.

The role of Lakhbir Rode was also found in killing of Comrade Balwinder Singh at Bhikhiwind on 16 October 2020 besides in the recovery of tiffin IED, RDX, arms and ammunition from his relative Gurmukh Singh Rode from Jalandhar in August 2021.

Lakhbir Rode’s role was also prominently figured in the recently busted terror module at SBS Nagar. Sukhmeetpal Singh alias Sukh Bhikhariwal, who is presently lodged in Tihar Jail, Delhi was also involved in killing of Comrade Balwinder Singh and in case of murderous attack on Honey Mahajan at Dhariwal on 10 February.

He was deported from Dubai in December 2020. Sukh Bhikhariwal provided foot soldiers, arms and ammunition, logistics, funds, etc for execution of these crimes.