Three Khalistani Terrorists, Accused Of Attacking Police Station In Punjab, Killed In Uttar Pradesh Encounter

Three Khalistani terrorists, identified as Gurvinder Singh, Virender Singh alias Ravi, and Jaspreet Singh alias Pratap Singh, were killed in a joint encounter by the Punjab and Uttar Pradesh Police in the early hours of Monday (23 December). The encounter occurred in the Puranpur police station jurisdiction of Pilibhit district.

The slain terrorists, who belonged to the banned Khalistan Commando Force, were accused of attacking a police post in Punjab’s Gurdaspur district last Friday. The attack, which involved grenades and bombs, caused no casualties or damage but heightened police vigilance in the area.

Following a tip-off about the presence of three armed suspects in Puranpur, the Punjab Police alerted their Uttar Pradesh counterparts, leading to a coordinated operation. When cornered, the suspects opened fire on the police, prompting retaliatory action in which all three were killed.

“The accused fired at the police team on being challenged and in the retaliatory firing, they were killed. The joint operation was conducted by teams of Punjab Police and Uttar Pradesh Police. The Punjab Police team also told us about their foreign connections. A probe has been launched into the entire incident,” a senior Pilibhit Police official said in a media statement.

Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav highlighted the significance of the operation. "In a major breakthrough against a Pak-sponsored Khalistan Zindabad Force(KZF) terror module, the encounter took place in the jurisdiction of PS Puranpur, Pilibhit... The injured persons have been immediately taken to CHC Puranpur for urgent medical treatment. Investigations are in progress to unveil the entire terror module recovery. Two AK rifles and two Glock pistols," Yadav posted on X.

The police seized two AK-47 rifles, two Glock pistols, and several rounds of live ammunition from the suspects. Investigations are ongoing to uncover the broader terror network and their foreign links.