A major terror plot was foiled in Punjab after four operatives of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang were arrested after an exchange of fire this afternoon. The men were allegedly acting on the instructions of their foreign-based handler, Goldy Dhillon, and planning targeted attacks in the Tricity (Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula) and Patiala region, police said.
Those arrested in a joint operation by Punjab Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) and SAS Nagar Police have been identified as Harvinder Singh alias Bhola alias Honey and Lakhwinder Singh, both residents of Dhakansu Kalan in Rajpura, Patiala; and Mohammad Samir and Rohit Sharma, both residents of Rajpura, Patiala. Police teams have also recovered seven .32 calibre pistols along with 70 live cartridges from their possession.
Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) AGTF, Promod Ban, said that they cordoned off the area around a house along the Dera Bassi-Ambala highway after receiving intelligence inputs about the presence of the operatives there.
When the joint teams attempted to catch the accused, they opened fire at the police party, with bullets striking the bulletproof jackets of Head Constable Gagandeep Singh and Constable Gulab Singh.
In retaliatory fire, suspects Harvinder Singh alias Bhola and Mohammad Samir sustained bullet injuries and were subsequently overpowered, along with the remaining two accused.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) SAS Nagar, Harmandeep Hans, who visited the spot, said that all four arrested individuals have criminal histories. Further probe is ongoing to identify other operatives of this module, he said, adding that more arrests and recoveries are likely in the coming days.
