10/13/2008 10:05:49 AM

The “revival” of Bhindranwale’s ideology in the state has sent alarm bells ringing in the Police Department. Not only the state police, but also the union home and defence ministries have taken it quite seriously.

The police is on a high alert, but is not taking any chances to make the facts public. It has got sufficient clues and evidence regarding the active involvement of members of Bhindranwale Active Committee (BAC) in different parts of the state.

The revival of the committee came to light after suspects having contacts with Bakshish Singh, underground kingpin of a bomb attack on Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, were arrested in the state.

The records of cellphone calls made by the suspects to Bakshish Singh has been giving the clear picture of the current situation. Moreover, their mobile phones had ring tones of compositions on Bhindranwale’s messages.

After the arrest of Harjant Singh, alias DC, a resident of Vijliwala village of Batala in Gurdaspur district in September, the police has been working on theories that if “Khalistan Zindabad Froce” (KZF) chief Ranjit Singh Neeta, a Jammu-based hardcore terrorist, was the mastermind behind the revival of the BAC, besides supplying arms and ammunition to its members from across the border.

Apprehensions are there if Neeta was preparing youths as suicide bombers. Highly placed sources in the police disclosed that the Neeta had been hiding somewhere in Jammu on Indo-Pak border.

The Patiala police yesterday arrested three persons, including a woman, for hatching a conspiracy to eliminate Dera Sacha Sauda chief in a suicide attack.

Acting on the disclosure of Binder Singh, an accomplice of Harjant Singh from Muktsar, the policed arrested Harbant Singh and Mukhtiar Singh of Tarn Taran and Ferozepure, respectively. Amarjeet Singh of Samana in Patiala district was also taken into custody for his association with the group. It is also learnt that Amarjeet Singh was prepared to carry out a suicide attack.

Didar Singh, alias Dari, an aide of Harjant had reportedly surrendered before the Jalandhar police sometime ago. The district police authorities, however, denied the fact.

The police has launched a massive hunt for the BAC members through the state.