Five suspected terrorists arrested in Delhi; Khalistani-Kashmir terror link comes to light

Five men -- two from Punjab and three from Kashmir -- were arrested in the national capital early Monday after a gunfight with Delhi Police claiming that the Pakistan's spy agency ISI is attempting to link Khalistan movement with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Pramod Kushwaha said the two arrested Punjabi men were also allegedly involved in the murder of Shaurya Chakdra awardee Balwinder Singh. Singh was murdered in October.

The arrested have been identified as Gurjit Singh, Sukhdeep Singh (both hailing from Punjab, Shabir Ahmad Gojree, Mohd Ayub Pathan and Riyaz Rather.

In a statement, Kushwaha said the Special Cell has "credible information" that the ISI was planning to execute targeted killings of Hindu/right-wing leaders in Delhi and neighboring states and has activated their K2 (Kashmir-Khalistan) desk to execute the same.

"On Monday morning, our team received specific information that two Punjab based criminals were supposed to receive some money from three Kashmiris. On this specific information, five people were arrested after a brief exchange of fire from the Laxmi Nagar area in Delhi," Kushwaha told reporters. Police recovered two kg of heroin worth Rs eight crore in the international market, two cards, three pistols and Rs one lakh in cash.

The three Kashmir-based men were allegedly supplying money to the other two to carry out targeted killings. "They (Kashmiri men) were selling drugs and the proceeds were used for financing terror in Punjab," Kushwaha said.

He also said the arrested people have no links with the farmers agitating against the controversial farm laws at Delhi borders.

"The duo from Punjab are part of criminal gangs...two of the three Kashmiri men have clear links with Hizbul Mujahideen," Kushwaha said. He said the arrests showed the ISI game-plan, which is linking both the Khalistani and Kashmiri terrorists to create trouble in the country.

The ISI is now using the drug route to fund terrorism in India after demonetisation hit hard the fake currency rackets. "After demonetisation, the supply of fake currency has hit hard. The ISI is now trying to pump in drugs from Afghanistan where it has hold," Kushwaha said.

With people in Punjab disillusioned with Khalistan movement, he also said, the ISI and pro-Khalistani radicals were using criminal gangs. This, he said, serves two purposes -- creating communal disharmony and demoralise people who stand up to terrorism.

They were handled by one Sukh Bhikhariwal, who is currently based in the Gulf and allegedly arranges weapons for the hit-jobs.

"The ISI is trying to emulate the 2016/17 model in Punjab" when the pro-Khalistani elements targeted right-wing leaders and killed eight persons, Kushwaha said adding the Pakistan spy agency has been funding these operations through its K2 desk.

"They are pushing drugs through Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists and overground workers based in and supplying the same to their Khalistani counterparts in Punjab for onward distribution and sale," Kushwaha said.