3 Terrorists Gunned Down in Pilibhit Encounter

Pilibhit, Chandigarh: Three suspected Khalistani terrorists allegedly involved in the grenade attack in Gurdaspur were killed in an encounter with police in Pilibhit early Monday. Punjab’s Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav termed the encounter a breakthrough against a Pakistan-sponsored terror module.

The success comes after three blasts which took place in different districts of Punjab this month.

The gunfight between members of the Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) and a joint team of Uttar Pradesh Police and Punjab Police took place in Puranpur area of Pilibhit after three module members opened fire at the police party.

The DGP said three terrorists have been identified as Varinder Singh alias Ravi (23), Gurvinder Singh (25) and Jashanpreet Singh alias Partap Singh (18).

They are residents of Kalanaur police station and are accused of hurling a hand grenade at the Bakshiwala police post in Kalanaur in Punjab’s Gurdaspur district on December 18, a Punjab police statement said on Monday. No one was injured in the Bakshiwala incident.

Terrorist organisation KZF later used a social media platform to claim responsibility for this act of terror.

Amitabh Yash, additional director general (law and order), of Uttar Pradesh Police, said the trio was involved in the grenade attack on a police checkpoint in Gurdaspur. “The three sustained serious injuries in the encounter and were immediately rushed to CHC Puranpur for treatment,” he said. The ADG said that the three suspects later succumbed to their injuries.

Two AK-47 rifles, two Glock pistols and a huge cache of ammunition were seized from them, he said.

According to a Punjab police statement, the DGP said preliminary investigation has revealed that KZF terror module is controlled by Pakistan-based Ranjeet Singh Nita, the chief of KZF, and operated by Greece-based Jaswinder Singh Mannu, a native of village Agwan village in Kalanaur.

In a post on X, DGP Yadav said, “This module is controlled by Ranjeet Singh Nita... It is further controlled by Jagjeet Singh, based in the #UK and serving in the #British Army. Jagjeet Singh used the identity of Fateh Singh Baggi.”

Investigations are underway to expose all the connections and members of the module and more recoveries and arrests are likely, he said.