Tuesday, June 21 2005 11:30 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Sangrur: Punjab Police arrested the wife of Babbar Khalsa international terrorist and a mastermind in Delhi cinema hall blasts Jagtar Singh Hawara and his three associates who planned to act as human bombs to assassinate some religious and political leaders, police said in Sangrur.

Hawara's wife Balwinder Kaur and three associates -- Sukhdev Singh alias Baba, Pargat Singh and Amarjit Singh were apprehended during a search operation near Dhuri in the district, SSP Harinder Singh Chahal said.

He said the four, who had planned to blow themselves up to eliminate some religious and political leaders, were nabbed while they were riding motorcycles. A large cache of arms and ammunition were seized from them.

Preliminary investigations revealed that Hawara's associates had planned to target Baba Piara Singh Bhaniarawala, Baba Ashutosh Noor Mehlia and some political dignitaries, the SSP said.

The SSP said 18 kgs of RDX, seven hand grenades, 11 detonators, a switch battery, 177 live cartridges, four pencil bombs and a magazine of .30 bore pistol were recovered from them.

Nine explosive sticks and Rs 1.45 lakh were also seized from them, he said.

The SSP said nearly three months ago, Hawara had deputed Pargat to kill Bhaniarawala by planting a bomb in his vehicle.

However, Bhaniarawala escaped, as the bomb didn't go off, he said.