Chandigarh, Aug 24:
Chandigarh Police have foiled an alleged terror plot with the arrest of three young men and the seizure of materials suspected to have been intended for an improvised explosive device (IED), along with a firearm and ammunition.
The arrests were made near the interstate bus terminal in Sector 43 of Chandigarh. Police recovered a bag containing a tiffin box, five kilograms of gelatin sticks, a detonator, a power source and a remote-control system, along with a firearm, a magazine and five rounds of ammunition.
The arrested men have been identified as 19-year-old Lovepreet Singh from Tarn Taran, 21-year-old Jashanpreet Singh and 19-year-old Prabhpreet Singh alias Prabh from Amritsar.
According to preliminary investigations, the three are suspected to have links with Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), a banned Khalistani militant organisation. Police suspect that the accused were acting on instructions from Satnam alias Satta Naushera, an alleged key operative of the organisation who is believed to be hiding abroad.
Investigators suspect that the accused had planned to carry out a terror attack in Chandigarh with the intention of creating panic among the public. The recovery of the explosive-making material and other equipment led police to believe that the alleged plot was at an advanced stage.
A case has been registered and the investigation has been intensified to determine where the explosives were procured and whether other people were involved in the alleged conspiracy.
Police are also examining the suspected links between the arrested men and their alleged overseas handler as part of efforts to uncover the wider network behind the plot.