Deceased Khalistani terrorist Lakhbir Singh Rode's aide held in Punjab

Rode, who was among India's most wanted men and the nephew of late Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, died in Pakistan.

Punjab Police on Tuesday claimed to have arrested an associate of deceased Khalistani terrorist Lakhbir Singh Rode from Amritsar airport while he was trying to board a flight to the UK on a fake passport.

Paramjit Singh alias Dhadi was allegedly involved in terror funding and other subversive activities, police said.

Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav, in a post on X, said, "In a major breakthrough, SSOC (State Special Operation Cell) Amritsar has arrested #UK based, Paramjit Singh @ Punjab Singh @ Dhadi from #Amritsar airport."

"An associate of Lakhbir Rode, Chief of banned terrorist outfit #ISYF, Dhadi has been involved in terror funding & other subversive activities in #Punjab," Yadav said.

The police chief said an investigation is underway to unearth and expose the terrorist network and termed Singh's arrest as a "major blow" to the terror module attempting to disturb peace in the region.

Rode, a designated terrorist under Indian law, died recently in Pakistan, where he had taken refuge after his uncle Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale was killed in 1984 during an army action, officials said on Tuesday.

Rode, whose ancestral village Rode is in Moga district, died at a hospital in Rawalpindi following a massive heart attack. Some reports suggest that he died on Monday while others indicate that he breathed his last on Saturday.

The self-styled chief of the banned Khalistan Liberation Front was an accused in various cases and had a Red Corner notice issued by Interpol at the request of India. He also headed the banned terror group International Sikh Youth Federation.

Additional Inspector General, SSOC, Amritsar, Sukhminder Singh Mann said Dhadi was detained by the immigration authorities at Sri Guru Ram Das International Airport, Amritsar on Monday, "while he was going to board a flight to the UK on a British passport in the name of Punjab Singh".

Subsequently, the accused was arrested in a case registered on September 2, 2021, under various provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the Explosives Act, the Arms Act, Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, and the Indian Penal Code (IPC) registered at Police Station SSOC, Amritsar, Mann said in a statement.

He said during preliminary investigations, it came to light that Dhadi was regularly in touch with Lakhbir Singh Rode.

"The accused was a frequent visitor to Pakistan and on the instructions of Rode, he used to identify and handpick youth using social media platforms to motivate them to be part of terrorist activities," the senior officer said.

The DGP, in a statement issued later, said the SSOC, Amritsar busted a terrorist recruitment, funding and aiding module with the arrest made at the Amritsar airport.

"Paramjit Singh, a British Citizen and a founder member of the International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF), was initially involved in terror activities in Punjab in the early 90s and was later arrested in 2003 and convicted in cases pertaining to terrorist activities," the DGP said.

"After the completion of his sentence, the accused returned to the UK but continued his activities in ISYF by working as a motivator, recruiter and fundraiser for the organisation in the UK and other European countries," he said.

Yadav said in 2021, Dhadi's name figured in the reorganising of ISYF cadre in Punjab by arranging and providing funds and militant hardware to target specific people for disrupting peace and harmony in the state.

"Following Dhadi's involvement in terror funding and other subversive activities in Punjab, an LOC (lookout circular) was issued to ensure his arrest," he said.