Three Khalistan terror suspects killed in encounter in UP's Pilibhit

Lucknow: Three suspected Khalistani terrorists allegedly involved in a grenade attack on a police outpost in Punjab's Gurdaspur were gunned down in an encounter with a joint team of Uttar Pradesh and Punjab police in Pilibhit district on Monday.  

Sources in the UP police said the encounter took place near the Hardoi branch canal in Puranpur area of the district around dawn.

The sources said the slain men were identified as Pratap Singh (18), Varinder Singh alias Ravi (23) and Gurvinder Singh (25). Two AK 47 rifles, two pistols and a large quantity of cartridges were recovered from their possession.

Two constables of the UP police were injured in the encounter and were hospitalised.

Pilibhit district police chief Avinash Pandey said the police had received inputs that three terrorists belonging to the Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF), who had hurled grenades at the police outpost in Gurdaspur, were hiding in the Puranpur area.

He further said a team of Gurdaspur police came down to Puranpur to nab the terrorists.

During a subsequent vehicle check in the area, the police got information that three men were going toward Pilibhit on a motorbike. The riders turned toward Madhotanda when they were chased by the police, Pandey added.

Upon being challenged and asked to surrender, the terrorists opened fire at the police team, prompting them to retaliate, the police official said, adding that in the ensuing gunbattle, the trio sustained serious injuries. They were rushed to hospital where they were declared dead.

The sources said the police were trying to find out where the trio had been hiding. "We are trying to find out who gave the men shelter," said a police official in Pilibhit.

Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav termed the encounter as a major breakthrough against the Pakistan-sponsored terror module.

According to a Punjab police statement, the DGP said preliminary investigation has revealed that this terror module is controlled by Pak-based Ranjeet Singh Nita, the chief of KZF, and operated by Greece-based Jaswinder Singh Mannu, a native of Agwan village in Kalanaur.

Accused Varinder alias Ravi, who was leading the module, also belonged to Agwan village. He was being further controlled and masterminded by UK-based Jagjeet Singh and was using assumed identity of Fateh Singh Baghi to also claim the responsibility of the grenade attack, the DGP said, according to the statement.

The incident comes after three blasts which took place in different districts of Punjab this month.

(With agency inputs)