In response to the incident, BJP state president V.D. Sharma stated that it was extremely regrettable. “The criminals will face the death penalty.” They will not be spared under any circumstances. “Strict action will be taken, and criminals will not be able to flee,” he told reporters.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) seized many individuals during a multi-state search on Wednesday as part of a significant crackdown on criminal syndicates with ties to Khalistani terrorists based in Pakistan and Canada.
Several pistols, ammo, and a huge number of digital devices and incriminating documents were recovered during the raid in 51 sites across six states: Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, and the Union Territory of Chandigarh, according to the agency.
The NIA raid on the terrorist-gangster-drug smuggling network, which was linked to proscribed terrorist Arsh Dalla and a slew of other feared gangsters, came during a boiling diplomatic row between India and Canada over the killing of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia. While Ottawa suspected Indian agents were involved in the assassination, New Delhi dismissed the charges as “absurd” and “politically motivated.”
Other gangsters targeted by the NIA in Wednesday’s raids included Lawrence Bishnoi, Sukha Duneke, Harry Maur, Narender alias Lali, Kala Jatheri, and Deepak Tinu.
Since August 2022, the NIA has registered five investigations including plots of targeted killings, terror funding of pro-Khalistan organisations, and extortion by gangsters. Many of the accused are imprisoned or operating from overseas nations such as Pakistan, Canada, Malaysia, Portugal, and Australia.
“The focus of today’s raids, aimed at breaking up the terror-gangster-drug-smuggler nexus, was on weapon suppliers, financiers, and logistics providers linked to various hardcore gangs and their operatives.” “These gangs are collaborating with drug smugglers and terrorists from other countries, including Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates, Canada, and Portugal,” an NIA official was cited as saying by IANS.
The NIA has previously disclosed information on 43 terrorists as part of its crackdown on terrorist-gangster nexus, some of whom had ties to Canada and Khalistan. The organisation also requested that the public contribute information about their properties and assets that could be taken over by the federal government.
Lawrence Bishnoi, Jasdeep Singh, Kala Jatheri alias Sandeep, Virender Pratap alias Kala Rana, and Joginder Singh have all been photographed and their names have been released by the NIA.
The NIA confiscated properties owned by designated Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in Chandigarh and Amritsar last week in an unprecedented step under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.