Babbar Khalsa terrorist Lajar Masih was planning major attack during Maha Kumbh: UP Police

LUCKNOW: Lajar Masih, a member of the banned Babbar Khalsa International's (BKI) ISI-backed module, was planning a major attack in Prayagraj during the recently-concluded Maha Kumbh, top police officials revealed on Thursday.
Addressing the media, Uttar Pradesh director general of police (DGP) Prashant Kumar said that Lajar Masih intended to carry out the attack and then flee to Portugal. However, due to heightened security at the religious gathering, he could not execute the plan.
Also read: BKI-ISI terrorist arrested in joint UP STF and Punjab Police operation
The Maha Kumbh, held in Prayagraj from January 13 to February 26, attracted millions of devotees, making it a prime target for such a terrorist plot.
Masih was arrested early on Thursday in a joint operation by the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (UP STF) and Punjab Police. The operation took place at around 3.20am in the Kokhraj police station area of Kaushambi district.
As per the police sources, Masih, a resident of Kurlian village in Amritsar, was allegedly in contact with Swarn Singh alias Jeevan Fauji, the leader of BKI’s German-based module. He also had direct links with Pakistan-based operatives of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
During the arrest, the UP STF recovered a cache of explosives and illegal firearms from Masih’s possession.
The items included three active hand grenades, two detonators, a foreign-made Norinco M-54 Tokarev pistol (7.62 mm), 13 live cartridges (7.62x25 mm), foreign-made explosive powder, an Aadhaar card bearing a Ghaziabad address, and a mobile phone without a SIM card.
Police further revealed that Masih had escaped judicial custody in Punjab in September, last year.