The investigative agencies have uncovered a direct link between the Khalistani terrorists killed in the Pilibhit encounter and Babbar Khalsa International (BKI). The agencies have revealed that United Kingdom-based handler Kulbir Singh, alias Sidhu, was the mastermind behind the grenade attack initiated by the neutralised Khalistanis in Punjab. Sidhu has a bounty of Rs 10 lakh placed on him by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
According to media reports, Sidhu was giving instructions to the Khalistani terrorists from England. Notably, Sidhu, who is a native of Yamunanagar, is a close associate of Pakistan-based BKI leader Wadhwa Singh Babbar.
Sidhu’s role in orchestrating terror plots
Earlier, the NIA linked Sidhu to the assassination conspiracy of Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Vikas Bagga, who was killed in Rupnagar district of Punjab in April 2023. Investigations revealed that Sidhu arranged accommodation for the terrorists in the Pooranpur region of Pilibhit. A local contact of Sidhu, Jaspal, alias Sunny, received instructions from him for arranging the accommodation.
#PilibhitPoliceinnews#SPPilibhit के निर्देशन में थाना पूरनपुर @pilibhitpolice द्वारा आतंकियों को होटल तक पहुंचाने वाले मददगार को भेजा जेल।@adgzonebareilly@igrangebareilly@Uppolice@dgpup pic.twitter.com/Vv6iZVLAMs
— Pilibhit Police (@pilibhitpolice) December 28, 2024
Jaspal was arrested by the investigating agencies after being identified through CCTV footage. During interrogation, he admitted to providing support to the terrorists in arranging accommodation for them. His associate, Deepak, also helped in securing the accommodation under Sidhu’s direction. Police have intensified efforts to map Sidhu’s local connections and his role in facilitating the movement of the terrorists.
Arms and operational details
Following the encounter on 23 December, authorities recovered modified AK-47 rifles, Glock pistols, and other incriminating items from the scene. During forensic analysis of the mobile phones retrieved from the terrorists, the investigative agencies found that they were using the Armenia-based encrypted communication app, Zangi.
Zangi app’s role in encrypted communications
For those unaware, Zangi is a notorious communication application known for its auto-delete feature, which erases all data from servers within seconds. It is popular among terrorist organisations for secure communication. Although banned in India in 2023, it was not removed from the Play Store. Furthermore, it is also acessible via APK downloads. As the data gets deleted automatically, it becomes difficult for the investigative agencies to carry out surveillance. Investigators suspect the app was employed to relay coded messages between Jammu and Pakistan. The app is believed to be used by Lawrence Bishnoi gang as well.
The terrorists’ route and plans
According to media reports, after the grenade attack in Gurdaspur, Punjab, the three terrorists embarked on a 760-kilometre journey to Pilibhit via Bareilly. They had a stopover at Harji Hotel in Pooranpur, where they stayed for 25 hours before being tracked down. The owner of Harji Hotel, Harwinder Singh, also hails from Punjab. Superintendent of Police (SP) Avinash Pandey stated that the terrorists used fake Aadhaar cards for hotel check-in. The agencies believe that Sidhu might have helped them in securing forged documents.
Reports suggest that the terrorists had planned to escape to Bihar after their stay in Pilibhit, possibly using the Nepal border for international transit. Police are also tracing the financial transactions linked to the conspiracy, including payments made from a Pooranpur resident’s account to hire assassins.
The UK connection and global ramifications
Sidhu reportedly has a large network that extends beyond India, with links to Britain and Pakistan. Punjab Police have revealed that Sidhu worked closely with Ranjeet Singh Neeta, the Pakistan-based chief of Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF). Neeta, a wanted criminal since the 1980s, is accused of orchestrating bombings and smuggling weapons into India using drones.
Another name that has emerged during the investigation is Jagjeet Singh, alias Fateh Singh Baghi, who reportedly worked in the British Army. The NIA recently raided his family home in Punjab as part of the ongoing investigation.
Implications for border security
The encounter has heightened concerns over infiltration and recruitment by Khalistani groups along the India-Pakistan border, especially in Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir. The KZF, known for exploiting vulnerable youths with financial incentives, is under scrutiny for its reliance on small-time operatives for major crimes. The elimination of the three terrorists is expected to deter future recruits and disrupt KZF’s local network.
Pilibhit encounter
On Monday (23rd December), three Khalistani terrorists were killed in a police encounter in the Pilibhit district of Uttar Pradesh. They were initially treated at the Community Health Centre in Puranpur, before being shifted to the district hospital where they were declared dead on arrival. The Khalistani terrorists neutralised in the police encounter included Gurwinder Singh, Virendra Singh, and Jasanpreet Singh. They were wanted for attacking a police post with a grenade in the Gurdaspur district of Punjab.