In a significant counter-terrorism operation, the Ludhiana Police engaged in a fierce encounter on Thursday, resulting in injuries to two individuals suspected of operating within a Pakistan's ISI-backed terror network. The confrontation erupted when the suspects allegedly opened fire on police personnel during a meticulously planned operation.
The Encounter and Police Operation
Acting on specific intelligence inputs, officers from the Ludhiana Police force had established a trap. The intelligence indicated that a handler, operating from Pakistan, had directed the two men to exchange grenades at predetermined locations within the city.
According to Ludhiana Police Commissioner Swapan Sharma, the situation escalated rapidly when the police intercepted the suspects. "The suspects fired at the police when they were intercepted, prompting retaliatory firing," Sharma stated. The exchange of fire left one man wounded by three bullets, while the other was hit by a single bullet. Both individuals were immediately transported to a nearby hospital for medical treatment, with one reported to be in a critical condition.
The ISI-Linked Terror Module
Commissioner Sharma revealed crucial details about the module's operations, highlighting the sophisticated use of technology to conceal its activities. "They used to receive calls from a virtual number operating from Pakistan; the handler was from Pakistan's ISI...In the encounter today, the Pakistan-based handler had tasked these two individuals to exchange grenades at designated spots," Sharma was quoted as saying by ANI.
This incident is not isolated. Police investigations have revealed that this is part of a larger network. Prior to this encounter, the police had already arrested three other individuals connected to the same terror module. The arrested include Arsh from Bihar’s Bhojpur district, Ajay from Haryana’s Fatehabad, and Shamsher from Ludhiana, with each person being assigned a distinct role within the network.
Weapons and Ammunition Recovered
The police operation yielded a significant cache of illicit weapons and explosives. During searches following the encounter, officials successfully recovered:
- Two Chinese-made grenades
- Five pistols, suspected to have been smuggled across the border from Pakistan
- A quantity of live ammunition
Officials confirmed that the two injured suspects had arrived at the specified location with the primary objective of collecting the grenades, underscoring the immediate threat that was neutralized by the police action.
This successful operation by the Ludhiana Police highlights the ongoing efforts by Indian security forces to dismantle cross-border terror networks and prevent potential acts of violence, ensuring public safety and national security.
