A suspected operative connected to the Pakistan-backed terror outfit Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) was injured in an armed confrontation with police during a weapon recovery operation in Amritsar’s Sultanwind area, police officials confirmed on Sunday.
The individual, identified as Gurlal Singh alias Harman, hails from Goindwal Sahib in Tarn Taran district. He was previously arrested alongside accomplice Karajpreet Singh of Verowal, Tarn Taran, in connection with a firing incident at a local furniture shop — an act allegedly tied to an extortion racket orchestrated by BKI operative Jeevan Fauji.
Amritsar Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar stated that Singh, while in custody, disclosed the location of the weapon used in the shooting. During a follow-up operation to recover the firearm, Singh allegedly attempted to flee and opened fire on the police team. Officers returned fire in self-defence, resulting in a bullet wound to Singh’s leg. He was swiftly transported to Civil Hospital, Amritsar, for treatment.
Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav called the operation a “significant breakthrough” in the crackdown on terror and extortion networks with cross-border links. In a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter), Yadav said that the Amritsar Commissionerate Police had effectively dismantled a module linked to Jeevan Fauji, an active BKI operative believed to be working under the direction of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
“Jeevan Fauji had tasked Karajpreet and Gurlal with intimidating local business owners through violence. They were provided with a .30 bore pistol and instructed to open fire at the furniture shop in Amritsar, targeting it as part of an extortion scheme. The motive was to demand ransom from a relative of the shop owner based in Canada,” the DGP stated.
Police investigations suggest that BKI operatives have been attempting to reassert influence in Punjab’s border regions by leveraging threats and violence to fund their activities. The use of local youth in such plots, backed by foreign handlers, has raised fresh concerns about the evolving methods of transnational terror groups.
The Punjab Police have reiterated their commitment to dismantling such modules and safeguarding the state from extremist threats. Further investigation is ongoing.
