Two associates of terrorist Landa held in Punjab after exchange of fire

Chandigarh, April 18 (IANS) Punjab Police’s Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF), in a joint operation with Tarn Taran police, has arrested two key associates of terrorist Lakhbir Singh, alias Landa Harike, and gangster Satnam Singh, alias Satta Naushehra gang, after a brief exchange of fire, Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav said on Friday.

Those arrested have been identified as Mehakpreet Singh and Yuvraj Singh.

Police teams have also recovered two sophisticated pistols, comprising a 9 mm Glock and a .30 calibre PX30, along with cartridges and empty bullet shells from their possession.

DGP Yadav said preliminary investigations revealed that both were being directed by foreign handlers to carry out targeted killings in Punjab.

"With the arrest of these two operatives, Punjab Police have averted targeted killings and other sensational crimes in the state," he said.

Additional Director General of Police, AGTF, Promod Ban said the accused were also involved in the firing at sarpanch’s house in Tarn Taran.

According to information, two bike-borne men had opened fire outside the residence of the sarpanch of Naushehra Pannuan village on the night of March 26.

He said AGTF teams under the supervision of AIG Sandeep Goel and teams of Tarn Taran Police under the supervision of Senior Superintendent of Police Abhimanyu Rana were pursuing the culprits involved in the case of firing outside sarpanch’s house, and based human and intel-inputs located both the accused roaming in Naushehra Pannuan.

AIG Goel said acting swiftly, joint police teams followed the trail of both the accused. "When police teams intercepted both the accused, they opened fire at the police party in an attempt to evade arrest, prompting the police teams to retaliate in self-defence," he said.

SSP Rana said that during the exchange of fire, both the accused sustained bullet injuries and have been admitted to a local hospital. Police teams have recovered two sophisticated weapons from their possession, he added.

--IANS

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