Chandigarh Tricity, Patiala on Radar? What Police Said as Major Terror Plot Foiled in Punjab

Chandigarh: A major terror attack has been foiled in Chandigarh and Punjab’s Patiala after security agencies arrested four operatives linked to gangster Lawrence Bishnoi who were tasked to target the Tricity

region. These terror suspects were held after an encounter in Punjab's SAS Nagar.Punjab Police DGP in a statement on X, formerly Twitter, announced a breakthrough saying they have apprehended four operatives of foreign-based gangster Goldy Dhillon who were hiding in a house near Ambala highway and planned terror attacks in Tricity (Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula) and Patiala region."In a major breakthrough, Anti-Gangster Task Force and SAS Nagar Police apprehended four operatives of foreign-based gangster Goldy Dhillon of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang after an exchange of fire near Steal Strips Towers on the Dera Bassi–Ambala highway this afternoon," Punjab DGP said.

"The accused, hiding in a house along the highway, opened fire on the police during the cordon-and-search operation. In retaliatory fire, two members of the gang sustained bullet injuries," he said."Preliminary probe reveals the group was acting on instructions from their foreign-based handler and was planning targeted attacks in the Tricity and Patiala region," he revealed.The DGP further said that they have recovered Seven .32 calibre pistols and 70 live cartridges.

How Cops Foiled Punjab Terror Plot

ADGP of the Anti-Gangster Task Force Promod Ban said acting on specific intelligence inputs, joint teams led by DSP Bikramjit Singh Brar raided a house along the Dera Bassi-Ambala highway.When the police attempted to arrest them, the suspects opened fire, with bullets hitting the bulletproof jackets of Head Constable Gagandeep Singh and Constable Gulab Singh, he said.In the retaliatory fire, Harvinder Singh and Mohammad Samir sustained injuries before all four accused were overpowered.SAS Nagar SSP Harmandeep Hans, who visited the spot, said all four arrested persons have criminal histories. More arrests and recoveries are likely as the probe continues, he said.An FIR has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Arms Act at Police Station Dera Bassi.Further investigation is underway to trace forward and backward linkages, the DGP added.With inputs from PTI