Gurdaspur, India: A major security breakthrough has been reported in the deadly attack on the Adiyan police post in Punjab’s border district of Gurdaspur, with investigators confirming links to Pakistan-based handlers. One of the accused was killed in a police encounter, another has been arrested, while a third suspect remains on the run.
The incident dates back to February 22, when armed assailants opened fire at the Adiyan police post, killing Home Guard personnel Ashok Kumar and Punjab Police Assistant Sub-Inspector Gurnam Singh. CIA staff in-charge Gurmeet Singh was also critically injured in the attack and is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital.
Encounter and Arrest
Punjab Police officials said that during a follow-up operation, one accused was neutralized in an encounter after he attempted to flee and fired at police personnel. He was rushed to hospital in an injured condition but succumbed during treatment. Another accused has been taken into custody, while a district-wide manhunt is underway for the third suspect.
Pakistan, ISI Connection
Addressing the media, Deputy Inspector General Sandeep Goyal said preliminary investigations revealed a direct connection with Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
“Pakistan has been repeatedly trying to destabilize Punjab. Our investigation shows that ISI handlers were in touch with the accused and had tasked them with targeting police personnel,” Goyal said, adding that the conspiracy was foiled by timely police action.
The three accused have been identified as Dilawar Singh Ali of Nangar village, and Ranjit Singh and Inderjit Singh, residents of Adiyan village. Police said Dilawar Singh and Ranjit Singh were initially arrested, and questioning revealed their alleged links with ISI operatives across the border.
How the Encounter Unfolded
According to police, Ranjit Singh disclosed during interrogation that the pistol used in the attack was hidden within the jurisdiction of Behrampur police station. While a police team was escorting him to recover the weapon, their vehicle overturned in dense fog near Galdi village, injuring several officers. Taking advantage of the chaos, the accused managed to escape.
An alert was immediately issued across the district. Later, when a suspect matching the description was spotted on a motorcycle near an old school building, he tried to flee and opened fire on the police team. Police retaliated, leading to the fatal encounter.
Ongoing Search
Police confirmed that the accused were in constant contact with ISI handlers, who allegedly lured them with money to carry out the attack. Security has been tightened across the border district, and efforts are ongoing to track down the third accused, Inderjit Singh.
Officials said the case highlights continued cross-border attempts to create unrest in Punjab, but emphasized that such efforts would be met with firm and decisive action by security agencies.