NIA’s pan-India raid unearths deadly Khalistan-Gangster nexus

It is a well known fact that Pakistan had recently activated its K2 desk, with the intention of keeping both Kashmir and Punjab on the boil

In the recent nationwide crackdown by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) at 76 locations across eight states, six associated of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi have been arrested.

The NIA also arrested associates of Goldy Brar and Jaggu Bhagwanpuria. The arrested persons include Lucky Kokar, an associate of Canada based terrorist, Arsh Dalla. The raids were carried out in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, NCR, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.

Kokar was nabbed from Rajasthan on Tuesday. The NIA learnt that he was in direct contact with Arsh Dalla in Canada. It was on the instructions of Dala that Kokar had carried out recent killings in Jagraon, Punjab.

The NIA said that Kokar was working for Dalla, who is notorious for smuggling arms, ammunitions, IEDs among others. The arms and ammunition were being smuggled into India to revive the Khalistan movement, the NIA has learnt.

These elements were also raising funds, recruiting youth and carrying out terror attacks on behalf of the Bishnoi gang, the NIA said.

The NIA had last year registered cases in this regard. Since the case has been registered four massive raids have been carried out by the agency.

It was also learnt that Pakistan's ISI was playing a crucial role in these incidents. The main aim of the ISI is to revive the Khalistan movement and hence was using the gangsters based abroad to carry out such incidents.

The ISI had even handpicked one Harvinder Singh Rinda, a gangster turned terrorist based in Pakistan to oversee this network.

During the raids, the NIA also arrested Hari Om alias Titu, Lakhvi Singh. Nine weapons were recovered from Lakhvir.

More such raids are on the anvil as the NIA is looking to completely dismantle this network. These raids are crucial as the Khalistan elements pose a huge threat to India. Their networks abroad are in particular worrisome and attempts are being made galore to revive the Khalistan movement.

The agencies had also learnt about the K2 or Khalistan-Kashmir desk activated by the ISI. As part of this desk, the ISI has tasked the Jaish-e-Mohammad to work in tandem with the Khalistan elements to revive the movement in Punjab. The long goal of the ISI would be to keep both Kashmir and Punjab on the boil.