40 years ago, October 31, 1986: Terrorists kill 6 in Punjab

On Friday, the Uttar Pradesh Police's Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) made four arrests in Lucknow, accusing the four men of plotting to kill an Army or police officer and attack a police establishment, before purportedly recording the attack for their Pakistan-based handler. The four men - Gagandeep Singh, Rajat Kumar, Krish, and a 17-year-old juvenile - all hail from Punjab and are alleged to have links to the banned Shahzad Bhatti network.

According to the ATS, the men were in contact with Rana Bhai, a member of the Shahzad Bhatti network, instructing them on how to carry out the attack. The four travelled from Amritsar to Lucknow on October 27, passing through Delhi before arriving in the city on October 29 at midnight. The suspects communicated with Rana Bhai via Instagram and WhatsApp, and the charges against them were registered at the Lucknow ATS police station.

The ATS claimed that the men recorded a video of the city railway station and shared it with their handler, who promised to pay them Rs 3 lakh once the attack was carried out. The accused were promised weapons and ammunition from Pakistan, which were allegedly handed over by a local contact in Lucknow. During their interrogation, the accused revealed that they had been promised a reward and instructed to flee to Nepal if apprehended.

The ATS has sought police custody for further questioning and plans to identify additional associates and the network supplying them with weapons and financial support.