UP ATS may take non-Sikh Khalistani suspects to Ayodhya to verify links

LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) is likely to take the three suspects, having Khalistani links, to Ayodhya to confirm about the places they had visited during their stay in the temple town.

The suspects were arrested while doing recee in Ayodhya, four days before the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Shri Ram Janambhoomi temple.

The three suspects identified as Rajasthan residents Shankar Dussad a.k.a. Shankar Jajod, Ajit Kumar Sharma and Pradeep Puniya are on seven days’ police custody remand (PCR).

They are being questioned about intentions behind doing recce in Ayodhya and their links with Khalistani terrorists.

Earlier after their arrest, a recorded voice message claimed to be of Canada-based Khalistan terrorist Gurupatwant Singh Pannu was circulated on mobile numbers in Lucknow addressing Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, that Sikh for Justice (SFJ) (a US-based group that supports the secession of Punjab from India as Khalistan) was going to hold him (Yogi) accountable on January 22 and Ram temple Pran Pratishtha was not going to save him.

The three suspects had been under radar since the night of January 17 and were arrested on January 18 after their Khalistani links were confirmed.