Babbar Khalsa terrorist with ISI links held in UP; wanted to target Maha Kumbh, says DGP

Addressing a press conference here, Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) Prashant Kumar said Masih had planned a major terrorist attack during the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj.

Lucknow: A joint team of Uttar Pradesh and Punjab police nabbed a terrorist linked with Pakistani spy agency ISI and Khalistani terror outfit Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), who wanted to target the Maha Kumbh, from Kaushambi district in the state.

Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) Prashant Kumar told reporters here on Thursday that the terrorist, identified as Lajar Masih, who had escaped from Punjab's judicial custody in September last year, was nabbed late on Wednesday night.

‘’An active terrorist having links with ISI and BKI, Masih had planned a major terror attack during the Maha Kumbh,’’ he said.

Kumar said that Masih was an active member of BKI and had been active in Pakistan and other foreign countries. He had a fake Aadhaar card made from Ghaziabad.

‘’Masih was planning to go to Portugal but could not succeed,’’ he added.

The cops recovered three active hand grenades, two detonators, 13 cartridges, one foreign made pistol and explosives.

The sleuths were investigating if he had acquaintances in Kaushambi. ‘’We are trying to find out his connection to Kaushambi,’’ said a police official here.

Sources said that Masih, a resident of Amritsar district in Punjab, was associated with Swarn Singh, who was the head of the German based module of BKI .