A Pakistani smuggler who crossed over to Indian territory with over 22 kg of heroin was shot dead along the International Border (IB) in Amritsar in a joint operation by the Amritsar rural police and the BSF, officials said today.
With this, the police claimed to have unearthed a major narco-terror module.
Based on inputs about the movement of Pakistani smugglers towards the Indian territory with a consignment of drugs, the Punjab police team led by SSP Dhruv Dahiya along with Border Security Force (BSF) troops launched a joint operation at the Kakkar border outpost (BOP), the officials said.
During the operation, the movement of a Pakistani smuggler was noticed. The smuggler fired at the Indian troops and was killed when they returned the fire under Lopoke police station area, a senior police official said.
A joint combing operation was launched at the site and 22 packets of heroin (weighing 22.660 kg), one SAIGA - MK Rifle (semi-automatic rifle) along with two magazines and 24 live rounds of 7.50 mm, one AK - 47 rifle along with two magazines and 21 live rounds of 7.62 mm, Pakistani currency, one mobile phone along with two Pakistani SIMs (Telenor and Jazz), and a pipe which bore a 'made in Pakistan' marking were recovered, the Punjab police said in a statement.
During preliminary investigation, it was found that the smuggler was known to his two Indian handlers, it said.
The police have registered an FIR against the two others - Jagdish Bhura, who is a terrorist of Khalistan Zindabad Force and currently based in Belgium; and Jaspal Singh, a resident of Ferozepur's Gatti village, who has been arrested.
AdvertisementSingh was in close contact with Bhura and was involved in the smuggling of composite drugs and weapon consignments across the border in Amritsar sector, according to the statement.
Singh is learnt to have close links with Pakistan's ISI, the statement quoted SSP Dhaiya as saying.
AdvertisementA case has been registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, the Arms Act, the Foreigners Act and the Indian Passport Act at the Lopoke police station, the statement said.
Director General of Police (DGP), Punjab, Dinkar Gupta said follow-up action is being taken to unearth the entire network of border couriers and Bhura's associates who are active on the India-Pakistan border, as well as to establish the entire network of his foreign and Indian associates.
Advertisement"Arrest of Jaspal Singh is also likely to lead to further vital disclosures regarding the physical and financial flows associated with the recovered drugs and weapons consignment," Mr Gupta said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
