2 men arrested for suspected terror links were tasked with killing right-wing leaders: Delhi Police

PTI, Jan 15, 2023, 8:19 PM IST

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New Delhi: Two men arrested by the Delhi Police’s Special Cell for suspected links with terror organisations were allegedly planning to identify and kill right-wing leaders in the coming months, officials said on Sunday.

Two hand grenades and three pistols were recovered from the rented accommodation of the accused, Jagjit Singh and Naushad, who are allegedly linked to Pakistan’s ISI members, they said.

Police said the duo who have been booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act received funds and weapons from their handlers.

Days after the duo were arrested, the Special Cell on Saturday recovered a dismembered body from a drain in the Bhalswa Dairy area.

Addressing a press conference, Additional Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Pramod Singh Kushwah said the accused were asked “to prove their capabilities” to the terrorist organisation and they targeted a 21-year-old man and beheaded him. The victim was a Hindu but his identity is yet to be ascertained, he said.

“We found blood traces at the rented accommodation of the accused persons and were led to a chopped body near Bhalswa Dairy. The accused picked up the victim on December 15, killed him and sent a video of the act to their handler Sohail, who is associated with terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba and linked to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI),” he said.

The officer said that the accused duo were tasked to identify and assassinate right-wing leaders.

“They had targeted a few persons and were being instructed by the handlers and leaders based in foreign countries and were planning to execute their task in the upcoming months. Jagjit was being handled by gangster-turned-terrorist Arshdeep Singh Gill (alias Arsh Dalla), while Naushad was being handled by cross-border suspected ISI handlers. With their arrest, we have averted a major terror strike,” added Kushwah.

Police said the victim was picked up from a park and lured with alcohol.

The senior police officer said the accused targeted him because he was vulnerable. They took him to their home in Bhalswa Dairy on the pretext of giving him alcohol and killed him.

His body was chopped into pieces and stored at the residence of the accused for a few days before packing it in plastic bags and disposing it in water bodies, he said.

Six body parts have been recovered and more raids are being conducted to recover evidence from the spot.

According to the police, their arrest has averted a major terror attack.

Jagjit Singh and Naushad first met in Haldwani jail, police said.

“Jagjit has a murder case registered against him in Haldwani in 2018. He also has another case of encounter with the police. Naushad has murder and extortion cases registered against him. He met some terror accused and came in touch with cross-border elements. Similarly, Jagjit came in touch with the Bambiha gang and then got associated with Arsh Dalla,” the officer said.

The arrest was made ahead of the Republic Day celebrations in the national capital. Three pistols and 22 live cartridges were recovered from the possession of the accused, police had said.