Punjab police comes under scanner in arrest of Sikh militants

JALANDHAR: The role of Punjab police has came under scanner in the case of arrest of three Sikh militants and recovery of RDX and ammunition from their possession. They were reportedly picked up on Saturday from the hosue of former Akal Takht Jathedar Bhai Jasbir Singh Rode and shown to be arrested on Sunday.

Jalandhar SSP Naunihal Singh has claimed that they were planning to disrupt  next year's assembly elections in Punjab. The arrested militants included Paramjit Singh Dhaddi a UK citizen. Initial reports had said that Dhadhi was intercepted by Ropar police near Chamkaur Sahib while he was travelling with Rode in a car and was later handed over to Jalandhar police.

A huge cache of explosives, arms and ammunition including 11 kg of RDX, 11 detonators, four hand grenades, 11 timer devices, two pistols with four magazines, 100 live cartridges, a walkie-talkie set was seized from the arrested persons of - International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF-rode) group, Naunihal Singh told reporters.

The arms and other things had been smuggled into the country recently and were to be used for carrying out disruptive activities in the state in the coming days in the wake of the forthcoming assembly election, Singh, who took charge as Jalandhar SSP two days ago, said.

Acting on a tip-off that some members of ISYF, who were carrying explosives, arms and ammunition, were moving in the district, a Special Police Operation was planned and Jaswinder Singh (23), a resident of Moga was arrested from the Chhotti Baradari area of the city and two kg of RDX, one hand grenade were recovered from him, he said.

Amolak Singh (52), a resident of Jargaon, was arrested from a different locality about three kg RDX, a hand grenade, three detonators and 50 catridges were seized.

On the revelation made by both the arrested persons, a third accomplice Paramjit Singh Dhaddi alias Punjab Singh (54) was arrested and six kg RDX along with other ammunition was seized from him, Singh said. Police has claimed that ammunition was recovered from farm straw heap in Dhadhi's farm in village Gakhlan. The village Sarpanch Surinder Singh has however denied that police has made any recovery from the farm house.

To a query on the trio's association with former Akal Takhat Jathedar Jasbir Singh rode, Singh said his role was being probed. The police had let off Rode after initial investigation.