'Terrorists planned to abduct ex-Gujarat CM'

GURDASPUR, JAN. 24. Police today said that five terrorists arrested in Ahmedabad last week were planning to abduct the former Gujarat Chief Minister, Mr. Chhabildas Mehta, Nirma partner, Mr. Kishan Bhai Patel, a well-known doctor practising in Ahmedabad and a rich jeweller of Surat.

The negotiations for the ransom was being planned to be carried out through the henchmen of Dawood Ibrahim, the Senior Superintendent of Police, Mr. Varinder Kumar, said here. They had planned a series of abductions to raise a huge amount of money to fund terrorist activities in the country, he said.

The five were caught by the Punjab police with the help of their counterparts in Gujarat. The terrorists, confessed to have snatched or stolen more than 100 cars and 18 trucks loaded with goods worth several lakhs of rupees, the SSP said.

The five terrorists, were arrested when they were driving away a stolen car after having snatched at gun-point a truck loaded with clothes worth about Rs. 20 lakhs.

Ibrahim alias Chacha of a Rajasthan village, a contact man of Dawood Ibrahim, was among those arrested. Ashok Anna, a smuggler from Kerala, who had been operating from Mumbai under the guise of a builder, was yet to be arrested, he said.

The vital lead, which helped Gurdaspur police achieve the breakthrough, was provided by Babbar Khalsa terrorist, Saroop Singh who used to supply arms and explosives smuggled from Pakistan to the five accused. He had been asked to set up a countrywide network with the assistance of the henchmen of Dawood Ibrahim.

Besides Ibrahim alias Chacha, the remaining four arrested were Paramjit Singh of Kainthi farm, Lucknow, Sarabjit Singh alias Sabba of Warian Nangal village in Majitha police district of Amritsar, Sajjan Singh of Amritsar city's Putlighar locality and Lakhwinder Singh Lakha of Johal Nangal village in Gurdaspur district.

- UNI

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