Punjab police's terror probe leads to British Sikh soldier

PUNJAB Police's investigations into the terror module controlled by Pak-based Ranjeet Singh Nita, the chief of Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF), has led to a British Sikh soldier suspected to be behind the recent grenade attacks on police stations in the state.

In a series of terror attacks in Punjab involving hand grenades and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in October and November, two respective attacks were carried out at the houses of leaders of Hindu groups of Ludhiana using petrol bombs, a top Punjab police officer said on Tuesday.

Later in December, a hand grenade was hurled at Asron police post under Kathgarh police station in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district.

The responsibility of these attacks were claimed by Nita and Fateh Singh Baaghi of the self-proclaimed 'Surveillance and Reconnaissance Unit' under KZF on social media posts.

Investigations into these KZF modules have led the Punjab Police to a Sikh soldier of the British Army, Jagjeet Singh (37), originally from village Mianpur in Tarn Taran.

Jagjeet Singh is suspected to be using the pseudonym Fateh Singh Baaghi to conceal his real identity.

Jagjeet Singh had moved to the UK in 2010 on a student visa. After completing his studies, he is said to have joined the British Army as a soldier in 2013, the top Punjab police officer said.

Several of Jagjeet Singh's relatives, including grandfather, father and brother, have served in the Indian Army.

After moving to the UK, radical-minded Jagjeet Singh developed links with banned terrorist groups such as Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and KZF, he said.

Jagjeet Singh formed a radical group named Akaljot Khalistan Force (AKF) and made efforts to revive terrorist activities in Punjab by recruiting new members in his group.

In 2011, it was learnt that Jagjeet Singh and his associates were planning to target heads of religious sects to vitiate communal harmony in the state by recruiting youth from Punjab in lieu of money and promises of migration abroad, he said.

A case was registered under Unlawful Activities (Prevention), Act (1967), at Maqsudan police station in Jalandhar and he was declared a proclaimed offender in the case.

In November 2021, two hand grenades and two pistols were recovered from an arrested accused Ranjit Singh of village Sohal in Tarn Taran. A case under Arms Act and Explosive Substances (Amendment) Act, 2001 was registered at police station State Special Operation Cell (SSOC) in Amritsar.

Jagjeet Singh's name had surfaced in this case too. He is well connected with Nita and UK-based Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terrorist Paramjit Singh Pamma, the officer said.

It is yet to be ascertained from British authorities whether he is still in service or not, he said.

Pilibhit encounter

In a major breakthrough against Pakistan ISI-sponsored KZF terror module, a joint operation of Punjab Police and Uttar Pradesh Police led to an encounter in Pilibhit with three module members involved in grenade attack at police establishment in Gurdaspur, Punjab's Director General of Police, Gaurav Yadav had said on Monday.

The Punjab DGP had said preliminary investigation revealed that this terror module is controlled by KZF chief Nita and operated by Greece-based Jaswinder Singh Mannu, a native of village Agwan village in Kalanaur.

Accused Varinder alias Ravi, who was leading the module, also belongs to Agwan village. He was being further controlled and masterminded by Jagjeet Singh who was using the assumed identity of Fateh Singh Baghi to also claim the responsibility of the grenade attack, the DGP had said.