3 Arrested Over Punjab Rocket Attack, Weapon Seized: Police

Punjab Police on Tuesday claimed to have busted a "sub-module" of "Canada-based terrorist" Lakhbir Landa with the arrest of three men and also recovered a loaded rocket-propelled grenade launcher.

The bust comes as part of investigations into the rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) attack at Sarhali police station in Tarn Taran, the police said.

The sub-module was allegedly being handled by Yadwinder Singh from the Philippines on the instructions of Landa, Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said in a statement.

The arrested persons have been identified as Kulbir Singh, Hira Singh, and Davinder Singh, all residents of Tarn Taran's Chambal village.

The police have also booked Yadwinder Singh, Mr Yadav added.

"With the recovery of a ready-to-use fresh RPG, the Punjab Police have successfully thwarted another possible terrorist attack aimed at disturbing the peace and harmony of the state," the police chief said.

The development comes days after five persons were arrested and two juveniles detained for allegedly carrying out the attack at the Sarhali police station building in Tarn Taran on December 9. The attack was the second such incident in Punjab in the last seven months.

As part of an intelligence-led operation, the police laid a 'nakabandi' (check point) at Billianwala bridge in the district and arrested Kulbir Singh and Hira Singh in connection with the Sarhali RPG attack, Mr Yadav said.

The accused revealed during questioning that they had provided a loaded RPG on the day of the attack on the instructions of Yadwinder Singh, Tarn Taran Senior Superintendent of Police Gurmeet Singh Chauhan said.

Mr Chauhan said Yadwinder Singh had also sent the juveniles, who allegedly fired the RPG, a tutorial video on launching the weapon.

During further questioning, the accused disclosed that they and Davinder Singh had concealed another RPG on their handler's instructions, Mr Chauhan said.

The RPG and the launcher were recovered from a location pinpointed by them on the banks of the Beas river in Keedian village.

Davinder Singh, who has also been arrested, disclosed that they were hatching a conspiracy to carry out another attack on the instructions of Yadwinder Singh and Landa.

The police are investigating the backward and forward links in the case and more recoveries and arrests are expected shortly, Chauhan added.

The police have called in Army authorities and forensic teams to examine the RPG and the rocket launcher.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)