Punjab police raid hideouts of associates of terrorists Landa, Rinda

The Punjab police on Sunday raided several suspected hideouts of persons linked with gangsters-turned-terrorists Lakhbir Singh alias Landa and Harwinder Singh alias Rinda.

The raids were conducted simultaneously from 6 am to 11am across several districts of the state on the directions of director general of police Punjab Gaurav Yadav.

All residential and other premises linked with associates of both criminals were thoroughly searched in the raids.

Special DGP (law and order) Arpit Shukla said all police commissioners and senior superintendents of police were directed to depute strong police parties to make the operation successful, which was aimed at disrupting the nexus between terrorists, gangsters, and drug smugglers based in India and abroad.

The raids were made by 364 teams involving around 2,000 police personnel.

"Today's searches were planned after the questioning of several persons arrested during recently busted modules backed by Lakhbir Landa and Harwinder Rinda," Shukla said.

He said several persons were detained during the operation for further verification and incriminating materials found on them were seized.

Meanwhile, the Tarn Taran police arrested two associates of Rinda, identified as Arshdeep Singh and his brother Wattandeep Singh, both residents of Kulla village.

The police also recovered two pistols with 285 live cartridges of different bores, 100 grams of opium, and 250 kilograms 'lahan' (raw material used to make liquor) from their possession.