The Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) module busted by Ludhiana police and counter-intelligence agencies following recent attacks on right-wing Hindu leaders has once again revealed a pattern adopted by ISI-backed pro-Khalistan modules consisting of to involve gullible petty criminals to accomplish this task. .

Those arrested in Ludhiana on Tuesday are petty offenders and an NDPS case has been registered against two of them.

“They threw petrol bombs on the instructions of their masters for a few thousand rupees. Primary investigation reveals that the accused were not even aware of the sensitive nature of the case,” said a police official involved in the investigation.

“In the murder of VHP leader Vikas Parbhakar also, the accused are a group of little-known criminals and carried out the task for just a few thousand rupees,” police said.

These are not isolated incidents where petty criminals were hired by foreign-based operatives to attack socio-religious leaders or stir up terror in the state. In recent cases of terrorism in Punjab, a similar pattern was adopted, a senior police official said.

In the December 2022 RPG attack on Sarhali police station in Taran Tarn also, seven minors were involved and promised money. The Punjab Police took a humanitarian approach and let them go. Those throwing RPGs were also miners and were promised money.

In the Chandigarh September 11 grenade blast case, the accused Vishal Masih and Rohal Masih have no criminal antecedents.

Investigation revealed that American gangster Harpreet Singh alias Happy Passia, who is working at the behest of Pak-based terrorist Harvinder Singh alias Rinda, Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), and the ISI, has been busy of the accused by providing him with explosives and weapons. and logistical support, but reneged on the rewards promised to the accused.

In this case, investigators found that the duo had not received even a cent, even as an advance.

The same pattern of betrayal by foreign-based managers was also observed in previous investigations, in which they first lured innocent local youths with false promises and then abandoned them once the deed was done.

“This is a worrying trend. How can an agency track anonymous young people randomly chosen by these handlers while they are in foreign countries using social media luring them with a paltry sum,” said a senior Homeland Security officer asking anonymity.