GURDASPUR, July 9 — Punjab Police on Wednesday said they have thwarted a major terrorist conspiracy linked to Pakistan-based Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) operative Harwinder Singh Rinda, recovering a cache of sophisticated arms and explosives from a forested area in Gurdaspur district.
The seizure included two AK-47 assault rifles, 16 live cartridges, two magazines, and two high-explosive P-86 hand grenades. According to Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav, the consignment was smuggled across the international border by Pakistani agencies in coordination with Rinda, in a planned attempt to execute attacks at multiple locations across Punjab.
“This was a premeditated attempt to disrupt peace in the state. The consignment was part of a larger plan orchestrated by Harwinder Rinda with backing from Pakistan’s ISI,” DGP Yadav said in a statement on X.
Acting on precise human intelligence, Punjab’s Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) launched an operation in the forest belt of Gurdaspur, leading to the timely recovery of the weapons cache before it could be delivered to Rinda’s local network. The operation was described by police as “intelligence-led and swift.”
“A case under the Arms Act and the Explosives Act has been registered at Purana Shala police station in Gurdaspur,” Yadav said, adding that efforts are ongoing to trace and apprehend the individuals in Punjab who were set to receive the consignment.
Harwinder Singh Rinda, a key figure in the banned terror outfit BKI, has long operated from Pakistan and is believed to be a crucial conduit for weapons smuggling across the Punjab border.
“This operation sends a clear message to those attempting to destabilize Punjab—we are alert, and we will act with precision and speed,” the DGP added.
The recovery is part of a broader pattern of increased vigilance in border districts amid growing concerns over cross-border terrorism and ISI-backed operations.
