Batala, July 16 -- Punjab Police have foiled a targeted killing plot with the arrest of five operatives linked to the Jaggu Bhagwanpuria gang, being operated by US-based Husandeep Singh. The police have also recovered two weapons- PX5 pistol and .32-bore pistol - from their possession, said director general of police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on Tuesday. The intelligence-led operation was jointly conducted by the counter intelligence wing of Punjab Police and district police of Amritsar Rural and Batala. Those arrested have been identified as Lovepreet Singh, Sikandar Kumar, alias Gola, and Onkarpreet, alias Jashan, all residents of Shahabad village in Batala; Gagandeep, alias Giani, of Gandhi Camp in Batala and Mehakpreet Singh of of Amritsar. Yadav said preliminary investigations revealed that incarcerated gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria - currently lodged in Silchar jail in Assam - had hatched a conspiracy to carry out a target killing of an alleged rival gang member to avenge the recent murder of his mother, an incident that has further intensified the turf war between rival criminal factions. The DGP said that Bhagwanpuria had been conspiring to execute this target killing through his US-based associate Husandeep Singh, who collaborated with ground handlers, including Lovepreet Singh to mobilise shooters and execute the plan. Further investigations are underway, he added. The first breakthrough came when Amritsar rural police led by senior superintendent of police (SSP) Maninder Singh apprehended one Mehakpreet Singh. On being interrogated, he disclosed that one Sikandar Kumar, alias Gola, of Shahabad village under Rangar Nangal police station in Batala had crucial information about the shooters and the execution plan. Sharing operational details, Batala SSP Suhail Qasim Mir said that acting swiftly on the information, Batala police traced Sikandar Kumar and apprehended him along with his aide, Onkarpreet, alias Jashan. Further interrogation led to the arrest of another associate, Gagandeep, alias Giani, he said. He said that during questioning, Sikandar revealed that he was being handled by one Lovepreet Singh - a key coordinator in this plot - who was eventually apprehended by the Batala police in a separate operation. The SSP said Lovepreet disclosed that the entire plan was being orchestrated by Bhagwanpuria's close associate Husandeep Singh remotely from the US. The objective of the plot was to eliminate an alleged rival gang member, he added. A case has been registered under Section 25 of the Arms Act and Sections 61(2) and 111 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Rangar Nangal police station in Batala, said the officials....