Three terrorists accused of firing on a police post in Gurdaspur, Punjab, have been gunned down in an encounter with police in Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh, sources said. An encounter broke out between the three terrorists and a joint team of Uttar Pradesh and Punjab police last night. Police tried to nab them, but the criminals opened fire. The injured criminals – Gurwinder Singh, Virendra Singh and Jaspreet Singh – succumbed to their injuries, sources said. Two AK series rifles and three Glock guns have been recovered from them. Punjab police has said that the three are part of a module of Pakistan-sponsored Khalistan Zindabad Force. Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav said in a post on Twitter, “This terror module is involved in the bomb blasts on police posts in border areas of Punjab. The attack took place between joint police teams of Pilibhit and Punjab in the area of Thana Puranpur, Pilibhit and three members of the module were involved in the bomb blasts on the police post in Gurdaspur.”
He added, “Investigation is on to unravel the entire terror module.” Uttar Pradesh DGP Prashant Kumar told NDTV that it was the work of “adrenaline junkies” and that it was a great example of coordination between the Uttar Pradesh and Punjab police. Three police stations in Punjab have been targeted within a week and security agencies suspect the hand of Khalistani terror groups. The Bangar police post in Gurdaspur was targeted on Friday, while the Islamabad police station in Amritsar was attacked on Tuesday. There was also an attack outside the Bakshiwal police post in Gurdaspur. No one was harmed in these blasts. An unfounded post circulating on social media said the militant Khalistan Zindabad force claimed responsibility for the blasts. According to sources, the terrorists had come to Pilibhit – about 750 km from Gurdaspur – to find a corner in the area that has a significant Sikh population. But the Uttar Pradesh police have said they have received full support from the locals.