Barapind was reviving terror outfit: Police

Even as radical organisations are seeking a clarification from the state government on the 'controversial' arrest of two Akali Dal Panch Pardhani leaders, the police on Saturday claimed that one of them had formed modules to reactivate Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF), which was identified as a terrorist organisation by the European Union.

The police said that a 7.62 mm China-made Mauser recovered from the residence of Kulbir Singh Barapind, who was arrested on September 20, was given to him by another KZF member, who in turn had got it from Pakistan. Barapind, who was extradited from the US for trial in three cases in Punjab, was assigned the duty to reactivate the KZF.

The facts came to fore during interrogation of Sandeep Singh alias Sandeepa, a resident of Saifabad under Phillaur police station in Jalandhar, and Sukhwinder Singh, a resident of Rohonno under Khanna police station. They were arrested in May this year.

"The seized Mauser was a part of an arms consignment, which reached India from Pakistan in February 2010. One Gurnek Singh alias Neka, son of Makhan Singh, a Jalandhar resident, had received the consignment and sent the weapon to Barapind who was activating modules to spread terror in Punjab. Sandeep was a part of a module created by Barapind," a senior police officer said.

Meanwhile, based on Barapind's interrogation, his associate Surinder Singh Thinkriwal was arrested by the Barnala police on Saturday. In a related development, the police also arrested one Ramandeep Singh, son of former Punjab Police head constable Jaswant Singh and recovered a 0.315 bore pistol. Surinder had given the pistol to Ramandeep for safe keeping.

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