3 Khalistani Terrorists Involved In Gurdaspur Grenade Attack Shot Dead In Uttar Pradesh's Pilibhit

The accused were identified as Gurvinder Singh (25), Virender Singh alias Ravi (23), and Jaspreet Singh alias Pratap Singh (18), all residents of Gurdaspur, police said. They were associated with the Pakistan-sponsored Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) terror module, DGP Punjab Police Gaurav Yadav said in a post on X.

"This terror module is involved in grenade attacks at police establishments in border areas of Punjab. The encounter has taken place in the jurisdiction of PS Puranpur, Pilibhit, between the joint police teams of Pilibhit & Punjab and the three module members are involved in the grenade attack on a police post in Gurdaspur," the DGP said in the post.

Later in another post on X, DGP Yadav said, "This module is controlled by Ranjeet Singh Nita, the chief of KZF, and operated by Jaswinder Singh Mannu, based in Greece, a resident of village Agwan. 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. "I thank the Uttar Pradesh Police for the excellent support given in our inter-state operation," Yadav said.

"This is a classic example of inter-state cooperation in which police forces of UP and Punjab worked together.The information was received by us and a joint operation was launched against the perpetrators," Yadav said in the video message.

'They opened heavy fire'

The three accused sustained serious injuries in the encounter in the Puranpur area here and were rushed to hospital for treatment. Speaking to the media, Avinash Pandey, Superintendent of Police, Pilibhit confirmed that the trio succumbed to their injuries.

"This morning, Punjab Police's Gurdaspur team reached Puranpur Police station and informed us that the suspects of the grenade blast on a police post in Gurdaspur could be hiding in Puranpur area. Following this, we increased surveillance in the area. Soon we got inputs from a police post that three suspected men were riding a bike dangerously. When police asked them to stop near the bridge between Pilibhit and Puranpur, they opened fire. In retaliation, the trio were injured. They were rushed to hospital where they succumbed." Pandey said.

The SP said the accused opened heavy fire on the police to which the police team responded. "We recovered a stolen bike, two AK 47 rifles, two Glock pistols, and a huge cache of ammunition from them," the SP said.

"Two constables -- Sumit and Shahnawaz -- were injured in the encounter. Both are being treated at the hospital. They luckily are out of danger," he said. The SP said the team included four policemen from Punjab and several others from Pilibhit.

Amitabh Yash, Director General (Law and Order), Uttar Pradesh Police said the trio was involved in a grenade attack on a police checkpoint in Gurdaspur, Punjab.

"The situation on the ground is under control and legal proceedings are underway," he said. On Friday, an explosion allegedly occurred at the abandoned police post in Kalanaur sub-division of Gurdaspur district.