Ludhiana, November 13: Ludhiana Police have averted a major terror strike by busting a Pakistan-backed module that was allegedly preparing to carry out a grenade attack in a crowded area of the city. Ten people have been arrested, and a Chinese-made hand grenade has been seized, officials said.
Commissioner of Police Swapan Sharma told reporters that the operation was launched after intelligence agencies shared “credible inputs” of a possible attack. “An FIR was registered on October 27 under relevant sections of the Explosives Act, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act,” he said. “We have also issued Red Corner Notices against suspects operating from abroad.”
The primary accused — identified as Kuldeep Singh, Shekhar Singh, and Ajay Singh of Sri Muktsar Sahib — were allegedly coordinating with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) handlers through contacts in Malaysia. “The module’s objective was to trigger fear and unrest among citizens by attacking a crowded public area,” Sharma noted.
According to investigators, the foreign-based masterminds include three men — Ajay, Jass Behbal, and Pawandeep — who are currently living together in Malaysia. Police said the trio originally hail from Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan, and were in close touch with local facilitators Amrik Singh and Parminder, both previously involved in drug trafficking.
Police also brought Vijay, brother of one of the Malaysia-based accused, from Sri Ganganagar Jail on a production warrant. He is suspected of managing logistics for the group while serving a sentence under the NDPS Act.
A delivery chain for transporting explosives into Punjab was also uncovered. Those arrested for their role in couriering and facilitating the grenade include Sukhjit Singh and Sukhwinder Singh from Faridkot, Karanveer Singh from Sri Ganganagar, and Sajan Kumar from Sri Muktsar Sahib.
Officers said a black kit and a pair of gloves were also seized along with the grenade. “The prompt action of our teams has prevented what could have been a devastating terror attack,” Sharma said. “We are pursuing leads to identify the broader network and its overseas links.”
