New Delhi, 02 July (H.S.): The Delhi Police Special Cell has arrested four alleged terror operatives following coordinated raids in Delhi and Punjab. Police recovered two pistols, including a Zigana handgun, nine live cartridges and five mobile phones from their possession. Three of the suspects were arrested in Punjab and one in Delhi. According to police, they were allegedly conspiring to carry out a major terror attack in the Delhi-NCR region.

Addressing the media on Thursday, Special Cell Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Praveen Kumar Tripathi identified the arrested individuals as Shubhdeep Singh alias Vishal (23), Gurjant Singh alias Rishi (22), Sajan Singh alias Honey (28) and Gaganpreet (24).

The DCP said all four accused are residents of Punjab and were allegedly in direct contact with Pakistan-based Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) handler Shahzad Bhatti. He said several videos of religious places, police stations and other police establishments were recovered from Gaganpreet's mobile phone. According to the investigation, Gaganpreet had been residing in Delhi and was allegedly conducting reconnaissance of potential targets before sending the footage to his handlers. Shubhdeep and Gurjant are brothers.

Tripathi said the Special Cell had received intelligence inputs indicating that Pakistan-based ISI handler Shahzad Bhatti, along with his associates, was plotting a major terrorist attack in the Delhi-NCR region. He alleged that young men from Punjab were being recruited through social media by offering inducements.

During the investigation, police traced Shubhdeep Singh alias Vishal, following which a Special Cell team was dispatched to Amritsar. He was arrested from Majitha Road in Amritsar. Police recovered a .30 bore pistol, five live cartridges and two mobile phones from his possession.

During interrogation, Shubhdeep allegedly disclosed that he had been in contact with Pakistani handlers through Shahzad Bhatti and had been receiving weapons and narcotics via drones. Based on his disclosures, police arrested Gurjant Singh alias Rishi and Sajan Singh alias Honey from Punjab. A Zigana pistol, four live cartridges and two mobile phones were recovered from them.

Further questioning of the three accused led investigators to Gaganpreet, who was subsequently arrested during a raid in Delhi. Police recovered a mobile phone from his possession, which allegedly contained reconnaissance videos and other material considered relevant to the investigation.

The Delhi Police said further interrogation of all four accused is continuing.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar