Three drug smugglers, including former terrorist, arrested

Three drug smugglers, including a terrorist-turned-proclaimed offender, were arrested in separate incidents, police said today.

According to Phagwara SP Jasbir Singh Rai, Ravinder Singh alias Bittu, Gurpartap Singh and Husan Lal alias Johni were arrested last night and 440 grams of smack and a motorcycle were recovered from their possession.

The three were arrested by separate police patrolling teams from in and around Phagwara, the SP said, adding that they were booked under sections 21, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act.

Of the three, Ravinder Singh alias Bittu was associated with terrorist activities during the peak of militancy in Punjab, the SP said, adding that he belonged to the Pardhan Singh Bhuchar and Nishan Singh Mehindipur faction.
 

He was also involved in the Kalyan railway station blast in Mumbai in 1991 and was serving a life sentence in that case, the SP said, adding that he was out on parole in 2007 but was declared a proclaimed offender after he did not return.

A native of Saidpur village in Patti, Bittu had adopted the false name of Swaran Singh and also used to claim that he belonged to Sherpur village, the SP said, adding that he was arrested by a police team near the Maheru village school.

The SP said 300 grams of smack was recovered from Bittu, adding that Mumbai police was being informed of his arrest.

In another incident, notorious drug smuggler Gurpartap Singh was arrested and 100 grams of smack was recovered from his possession, he said.

A resident of Rakhjhuthe village in Tarn Taran district, Gurpartap had served a five-year jail term for drug smuggling earlier, added the SP.

In yet another case, a local resident, Husan Lal alias Johni, was arrested with 40 grams of smack, the SP said, adding that he was also involved in robbing Roop Lal, a fruit commission agent, of Rs 62,000 at gunpoint here on August 2.