Three Khalistan Zindabad Force Members Killed In Joint UP-Punjab Police Operation

Three members of the Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF), allegedly involved in grenade attacks on police establishments in Punjab's border areas, were killed in an encounter in Uttar Pradesh's Pilibhit district on Monday morning. The encounter was carried out jointly by the police forces of Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. 

The deceased were identified as Gurvinder Singh (25), Virender Singh alias Ravi (23), and Jaspreet Singh alias Pratap Singh (18), all from Gurdaspur, Punjab.

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Amitabh Yash, Additional Director General (Law and Order), Uttar Pradesh Police, said the trio was involved in a grenade attack on a police checkpoint in Gurdaspur. The ADG confirmed to news agency PTI that the suspects succumbed to their injuries. Two AK-47 rifles, two Glock pistols, and a large amount of ammunition were seized from them.

In a post on X, the Punjab police chief said, "In a major breakthrough against a Pakistan-sponsored Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) terror module, a joint operation by UP and Punjab Police led to an encounter with three module members who fired at the police party." The terror module is involved in grenade attacks on police establishments in Punjab's border areas.

"The encounter took place in the jurisdiction of PS Puranpur, Pilibhit, between joint police teams from Pilibhit and Punjab. The three module members were involved in the grenade attack on a police post in Gurdaspur," the DGP said. He added that investigations are underway to uncover the entire terror module.

In February 2023, the Centre had declared KTF a “terrorist organisation” under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had said: “It is a militant outfit and it aims to revive terrorism in Punjab and challenges the territorial integrity, unity, national security and sovereignty of India and promotes various acts of terrorism, including targeted killings in Punjab.”

On July 1, 2020, the Centre designated KTF chief Hardeep Singh Nijjar and eight others as “terrorists” for running a secessionist campaign against India from abroad, recruiting Sikh youth into militant ranks. Nijjar was killed in Canada in June 2023.

(With agency inputs)