Sikh hardliners behind attack on Sena man: NIA

MOHALI: The attack on Shiv Sena leader Amit Arora in Ludhiana in February 2016 was part of a transnational plot hatched by senior leaders of the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF), a Sikh militant group, according to a charge sheet filed on Friday by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) against eight men accused of attempt to murder.

On February 3, 2016, Arora was sitting in his car in the Basti Jodhewal area on GT Road in Ludhiana when two men riding a bike allegedly opened fire at him. Arora claimed that a bullet had grazed his neck.

Ludhiana police booked Arora initially for staging the attack on himself, but later they claimed it was part of targeted attacks on Hindu leaders in Punjab at the behest of Pakistan’s Inter-services Intelligence (ISI) agency.

The charge sheet has been filed in an NIA special court in Mohali against Hardeep Singh, alias Shera, alias Pahalwaan; Ramandeep Singh, alias Canadian, alias Bagga; Dharminder Singh, alias Guguni; Anil Kumar, alias Kala; Jagtar Singh Johal, alias Jaggi, alias Johar; Harmeet Singh, alias Happy, alias PHD, alias Doctor; and Gurjinder Singh, alias Shastri; and Gursharanbir Singh, alias Gurusharan Singh Wahiwala, alias Pahalwaan.

It has been filed under sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Arms Act.

Three of the accused — Harmeet (suspected to be in Pakistan), Gursharanbir (UK) and Gurjinder (Italy) — have been declared proclaimed offenders (POS). According to the NIA, they were the masterminds of the targeted attacks and recruited and trained the two sharpshooters — Hardeep Singh, a permanent resident of Italy, and Ramandeep Singh of Ludhiana. Gursharanbir Singh, a UK national, allegedly trained the two in Italy and the UAE.

Another UK national, Jagtar Singh Johal, who has been arrested in the case, was involved in funding the attack.

Pakistan-based Harmeet Singh, alias PHD, took care of the day-to-day co-ordination.