The Punjab Police on Friday thwarted a major campaign to disturb communal peace and harmony in the state with the arrest of two members of a Khalistani module, allegedly engaged in propagating the Khalistani Referendum 2020 campaign by affixing banners and posters at public places in Amritsar.The duo, Sukhraj Singh alias Raju and Malik Singh alias Meetu, were apprehended by the Amritsar police, who seized various materials used in making the banners/posters from Kot Mit Singh Canal and Sukhraj’s house.Initial investigations have revealed that the duo were being funded from overseas as part of the campaign started by Gurpartap Singh Pannu, Legal Advisor of Sikh for Justice, a New York based organisation. The two have been booked under various sections of the IPC for attempts to spread hatred by motivating youngsters and instigating the public through the campaign, according to a police spokesperson.Giving details of the operation, the spokesperson said information was received from reliable sources by Commissionerate Police Amritsar about the campaign being carried out to disseminate the message of Khalistan Referendum 2020 by putting up banners and posters in various places.It was found that Sukhraj Singh, S/o Balwant Singh, hailing from Village Nagoke Distt.
Tarn Taran and currently living in H. No. 205, Patti Behniwal Village Sultanwind Amritsar, was making the posters/banners at his home along with his associate, Malkit, s/o late Baljit Singh Caste Jatt. r/o Behniwal Village Sultanwind Amritsar. Further investigations revealed that they were receiving funds from someone settled abroad to create disturbance in the state by triggering tensions between two communities, said the police spokesperson.A raid of Sukhraj’s house led to the recovery of dye, banners, paint and cloth. The two men were arrested along with some more material from an under-construction bridge at Kot Mit Singh Canal where they were spotted affixing the banners.Sukhraj, who had no job or business, has told the police that he was associated with SFJ for the past one year and had put up their posters at various places like Chheharta, Alpha One Mall, Putlighar etc. For this he was being paid instalments of Rs. 25000-50000, and had so far received Rs 2 lakhs. He usually got the money from Money Transfer and Hawala channels, and occasionally through accounts of other persons. Malkit was reportedly working as a conduct in a private bus.An FIR u/s 124-A, 153-A,153-B,120-B IPC PS Sultanwind Amritsar has bene registered and further investigations are in progress.