The Centre sees an upward trend in Pakistan ISI and pro-Khalistan elements forging close links with terror nodes abroad, mainly in countries like Canada and Germany, to create unrest in Punjab. For the security agencies who are keeping a close eye on cross border attempts to vitiate the communal harmony and disturb the law and order in Punjab, the latest sacrilege killing at Kotkapura in Faridkot district on Friday is a worrying development.
The worry has been compounded with Canada-based gangster Satwinder Singh alias Goldy Brar claiming responsibility for the killing of Pradeep Singh. The incident has put spotlight not just on the dreaded gangsters operating on foreign soil, but also on a suspected larger conspiracy to create unrest in Punjab. Singh was a follower of the Dera Sacha Sauda which has condemned the killing and sought a probe.
Meanwhile, Brar’s claim, made public on social media, is being analysed by the Punjab Police.
“Six teams have been constituted to investigate the crime. Some motorcycles used by the criminals have been seized. It is too early to pinpoint who is behind the murder, but all angles are being investigated,” Arpit Shukla, ADG (law and order) in Punjab Police, told THE WEEK.
Shukla said the police have taken note of Brar’s claims, but further investigation is being carried out to ascertain its authenticity.
Many a time, the gangsters have claimed their role in gruesome murders either to create an image or shield the actual perpetrators. The attempts to deflect attention from a possible cross-border connection is something the law enforcement and intelligence agencies are wary about.
Meanwhile, Brar has once again drawn attention as the incident comes jut months after the killing of renowned Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala on May 29 in Mansa. Notably, this is also not the first sacrilege killing in Punjab which has seen similar incidents since 2015.
Intelligence officials said the Pakistan-based pro-Khalistan modules have been providing sophisticated weapons, grenades and IEDs to these gangsters to perpetrate terror attacks. Such weapons have also been used in inter-gang rivalries and for elimination of individuals inimical to them.
The ISI-backed network is led by Harwinder Singh Rinda, who is said to be behind the RPG attack in Mohali in May, as per intelligence reports. The agencies are tracing his links to the proscribed outfit, Babbar Khalsa International, and its chief Wadhawa Singh who has been given shelter in Pakistan. While these leaders don’t operate directly in India, they use foreign shores to contact close associates who extend support for ideological reasons or on mercenary motives.
Since the formation of its anti-gangsters task force, the Punjab Police have arrested more than 4,000 gangsters in the last five years. Officials said special efforts are being made to bring back gangsters who have escaped aboard.
Brar is one of the many gangsters residing in foreign countries and wanted by Indian agencies for murder, targeted killings, extortion, drugs and weapons trafficking. Brar is known to be in Canada. There is a look out circular and a red corner notice pending against him. He is wanted in the killing of Moosewala and earlier a youth Congress leader, Gurlal Pehalwan, in 2021.
