ISI-backed module planned to attack Jantar Mantar during protests: Police

A day after Punjab Police busted two ISI-backed cross-border terror modules, the police on Wednesday said one of the modules had planned to attack Delhi's Jantar Mantar during recent student protests and its members had even travelled to the site with logistical support and materials to make petrol bombs.

The police on Tuesday said they apprehended nine accused, including four juveniles, and recovered arms and ammunition in the operation.

Amritsar Commissioner of Police Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said an ISI-backed handler had sent some members of the terror module to Jantar Mantar during the protest.

"The support was arranged by an ISI-backed handler and some members of the terror module had travelled to Jantar Mantar during the protest dharna there. Through their handler, they were provided logistical support and materials for making petrol bombs, but they could not execute their plan and were apprehended recently when the terror modules were busted," Bhullar told PTI over phone.

Punjab Police had on Tuesday said preliminary investigation revealed that foreign-based ISI handlers of the accused were attempting to recruit local youth to carry out terror-related activities and disturb public peace.

Bhullar said one of the two terror modules had also been tasked by its ISI handlers with conducting reconnaissance of security establishments and uniformed personnel and filming videos to share with their handlers.

They were also tasked with targeting police and uniformed force personnel, he said.

Bhullar said it was concerning that even juveniles were being lured into anti-national activities. Money was being sent to members of the terror modules through hawala and other channels, he said.

The disclosure comes against the backdrop of a 36-day student protest at Jantar Mantar led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) over the NEET issue. The CJP had called off its protest soon after the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as the Union education minister.

On Tuesday, Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav had said that in a major breakthrough, Amritsar Commissionerate Police had busted two ISI-backed cross-border terror modules and apprehended nine accused, including four juveniles.

The police had recovered three illegal pistols, four petrol bottle bombs and nine live cartridges, the DGP had said.

Yadav had said preliminary investigation revealed that the accused were acting at the behest of foreign-based ISI handlers, who were attempting to recruit local youth to carry out terror-related activities, conduct surveillance of security installations, procure illegal weapons and disturb public peace.

The investigation had also uncovered the installation of surveillance cameras near railway tracks, police said.