ATS gives clean chit to Khalistan suspect

The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad gave a clean chit to a suspected Khalistan Commando Force (KCF) member, Balbir Singh Bhootna saying that he had no plans to create any disruptive activities in Maharashtra.

Bhootna had opened fire at the railway station in Ludhiana, killing a tea vendor and injuring two government railway police (GRP) personnel on August 25.  The Maharashtra ATS officials were on their toes, when it was learnt that Bhootna had boarded the Jhelum express from Pune for Punjab and had also visited Manmad. A team was soon formed to investigate Bhootna’s purpose of visit to Manmad and check whether he had any associates in Maharashtra or if he was planning any terrorist activity in the state.

“A team of Maharashtra ATS had visited Punjab and interrogated Bhootna which revealed that he had come to Manmad only to visit a gurudwara,” said additional director general of police, ATS, Krish Pal Raghuvanshi.

However, the Punjab police however have a different take on this. The Punjab police officials claimed that, whenever they are on the lookout for Bhootna, he takes shelter  in gurudwara and use them as hideouts.

“He would meet his associates there and discuss further planning. As of now he claims that he had visited Maharashtra only to visit a gurudwara and has not met any associates. We are still investigating the case,” said additional director general of police, Railways (Punjab), Chandra Shekhar.