New Delhi: Special Cell of Delhi Police on Monday said that they have arrested five sharpshooters of Canada-based Khalistan Terrorist Front (KTF) or K-gang led by Arsh Dalla.
Police said that the operation also included a gun battle with two of the accused sharpshooters during which one of them was shot on his right leg.
The accused have been identified as Rajpreet Singh a.k.a Raja alias Bamb and Virender Singh alias Vimmy, both residents of Punjab, Sachin Bhati, Arpit Dhankar, and Susheel Pradhan.
Rajpreet and Virender were held after a shootout at east Delhi’s Mayur Vihar area.
The official said that a task given by Arsh to Rajpreet to eliminate Paramjit, which was successfully executed by him with the help of two other persons in order to avenge the suicide of Arsh’s brother.
“In July 2023, they were assigned to fire upon one person, namely Kavinder Kumar a resident of Haridwar, Uttrakhand and a local BJP leader, as he was not willing to pay extortion money,” said the official.
Another task was to assassinate a singer, namely Elly Mangat, which Rajpreet and Virender attempted in October at Bhatinda but failed as the target was not found at home.
One more task was assigned to them by the Khalistan Terrorist Front (KTF) or K-gang, leader Arsh Dalla, was to eliminate a notorious criminal from Punjab, namely Navdeep Chatta, who was supposed to attend the court at Mukthsar Sahib but their luck ran out.
A senior police official said that the two were arrested from the main road towards Akshardham Mandir opposite Samachar Apartment in Mayur Vihar, after a brief exchange of fire in the early hours of Monday.
“During the encounter, five rounds were fired by the accused persons of which two rounds hit the bullet proof jacket of police. In retaliation the police team fired six rounds upon the accused persons,” said the official.
He said that one of the accused, Virender sustained a gunshot on his right leg. After the incident both the accused persons were sent to LBS hospital for treatment and later were arrested in the case.
One revolver .45 mm with 06 live cartridges and another .30 mm pistol with 07 live cartridges along with a hand grenade and a stolen bike has been recovered from the possession of the accused persons.
The Special Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) HGS Dhaliwal said that preliminary interrogation has revealed that both Raja and Vimmi are sharpshooters associated with the infamous notified terrorist/gangster, Dalla.
“The accused individuals maintained regular contact with him and, at his behest, were planning significant terror strikes and targeted killings in Delhi/NCR,” said Dhaliwal.
The Special CP said that subsequently, based on the disclosures of the accused persons, others, namely Arpit, Sachin Bhati, and Susheel Pradhan, who provided shelter and logistics to the absconding gang members of Arsh Dalla, have also been arrested.
Rajpreet was currently wanted in a murder case of Paramjeet Singh which was committed in January 2023. Paramjit singh was murdered by the accused and his associates on behest of Dala.
Virender was currently wanted in a criminal case of firing in front of Prem jewellery of Mod mandi punjab. “Firing was carried out on behest of Arshdeep as he demanded extortion from owner of prem jewellers,” said the official.
(IANS)
