Claims To Have Averted ‘Parliament Breach-like’ Attack During Consecration Ceremony
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (UP ATS) on Friday arrested three persons, allegedly linked to Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), a banned outfit led by Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, in Ayodhya.
The trio were planning to raise the flag of SFJ and slogans demanding separate land for Sikhs in Punjab during the consecration ceremony, claimed the ATS and added that they were inspired by the youths who recently executed Parliament breach in Delhi.
Identified as Shankarlal Dusad alias Jajod, Ajit Kumar, and Pradeep Poonia, all three hail from Rajasthan, and were in touch with Pannun, said ATS officials.
Meanwhile, Pannun has released an audio message acknowledging the arrested individuals as members of his organization. An investigation into this claim is on.
The MHA had banned SFJ on July 10, 2019, under the UAPA for its activities. Pannun was designated an ‘individual terrorist’ on July 1, 2020. “He has been under NIA’s lens since 2019, when the anti-terror agency registered its first case against him,” said the ATS.
Director general of police (law and order) Prashant Kumar said that UP ATS was conducting a special surveillance and security operation in the light of the upcoming installation ceremony of the Ram Lalla idol at Ram temple.
“Acting on intelligence reports about a potential threat, UP ATS identified and tracked a suspicious vehicle in Ayodhya. The occupants of the white Scorpio (HR51BX3753) visited various sensitive locations before heading towards Trimurti Hotel. Subsequently, the individuals were intercepted and apprehended,” Kumar said.
During interrogation, the trio claimed to be members of SFJ. Further investigation revealed that Shankarlal was a history sheeter with two murder cases registered against him in Bikaner.
According to UP ATS, based on Shankarlal’s interrogation, the group received instructions from abroad from Khalistan supporter Harminder Singh alias Landa, who relayed Gurpatwant Singh Pannun’s orders to conduct reconnaissance in Ayodhya, send a map, and await further instructions for a planned event. The group attempted to mask their activities by displaying a Ram flag on their vehicle, the ATS said.
