Three terrorists planning to attack two religious premises, including that of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh, were arrested in Phagwara on Thursday and huge amount of explosives recovered from them, the police said.

The trio identified as Gurinder Singh, Parminder Singh alias Bablu and Zorawar Singh were planning to attack Dera of Divya Jyoti Jagriti Sansthan Chief Baba Ashutosh of Nurmahal and Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda Chief Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh, Senior Superintendent of Police, Kapurthala, Rakesh Aggarwal said.

Three bombs, over five kg RDX, two detonators, two timers, 20 cartridges of 12 bore calibre weapon, three cartridges of 32 bore, one cartridge of SLR, one of 315 bore, two mobiles fitted with wires for detonating bombs, two kg iron discs, one cartridge of AK-47 were recovered from the trio, he added.

Aggarwal said Gurinder Singh was arrested during a police barricade on Phagwara-Nakodar road. His accomplice Jagjit Singh escaped from the spot.

Gurinder was carrying a kit containing a pipe-fitted bomb, he said, adding it had wires and traps. A mobile was recovered from his pocket, which had wires attached with a battery and was to be used for triggering the bomb.

The SSP said Gurinder allegedly confessed that their plan was to blow off Noormehlia Dera.

At his instance, police arrested the other two militants Parminder Singh and Zorawar Singh near village Sahni on Phagwara Hoshiarpur road. Parminder was carrying a sack containing a utensil fitted with a bomb.