Team Herald
PANJIM: The Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) of Goa Police, investigating the links of Khalistan Liberation Force Chief Harminder Singh Mintoo with his family in Ponda, on Friday interrogated the terrorist’s family members at their office.
The summons were issued to the family by ATS on Thursday evening. Mintoo’s mother, two brothers, and their wives were summoned. A senior Police officer said the interrogation would take place in phases.
As per reports Mintoo, who escaped from Nabha jail planned to travel to Goa before moving abroad. He earlier lived in Goa for 18 years and the family that had settled in Goa in 1991 are in the construction business.
Goa Police and its intelligence wing were not aware that the terrorist’s family had settled in Goa till the escape on Sunday.
Superintendent of Police Priyanka Kashyap said that ATS-Goa has not received any communication from any outside agency that Mintoo had contacted his family members in Goa after the escape. “We are keeping close vigil over the movement of the family members,” SP Kashyap said.
Sources said that the family members residing in Goa have cloistered themselves in the house. Sources said that the family members have switched off the telephones and mobiles since Wednesday and are neither leaving house nor entertaining anybody at the residence.
Mintoo left Goa in 2005 and the family claims that since then they have had no contact with him and have completely broken ties with the terrorist.
In Goa, Mintoo was a Pradhan of the Gurudwara at Betim in between 2003 to 2005.
During a joint interrogation by Punjab Police and Special Cell officers of Delhi, Mintoo revealed that he and his jail inmate Kashmir Singh were supposed to meet in Goa. As per reports Mintoo was in touch with KLF Chief in Pakistan and had made several calls from jail prior to the escape.
