Punjab police cracks RPG attack, Canada-based gangster Lakhbir Landa is mastermind

CHANDIGARH: Punjab Police on Friday managed to crack the Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) attack case with Canada-based gangster Lakhbir Singh alias Landa has been emerged out as the key handler, who provided RPG, AK-47 and local network of criminals for logistic support to carry out the terror attack at Punjab Police Intelligence Headquarters in Mohali on Monday evening. Landa (33), who is native of Tarn Taran and fled to Canada in 2017 is a close aide of Pakistan-based wanted gangster Harvinder Singh alias Rinda and had joined hands with Babbar Khalsa International (BKI).

Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab VK Bhawra, while addressing a Press Conference at Punjab Police Headquarters here, said that the Police have also arrested six persons for their involvement in planning and providing the local logistic support to the attackers for carrying out the attack.

Those arrested have been identified as Nishan Singh of village Kulla in Bhikhiwind, Tarn Taran; Jagdeep Singh Kang of Wave Estate in Sector 85, SAS Nagar; Kanwarjit Singh alias Kanwar Bath (40) of Gumtala in Amritsar; Baljinder Singh alias Rambo (41) of Patti, Tarn Taran; Baljit Kaur alias Sukhi (50) of Kot Khalsa, Amritsar and Anant Deep Singh alias Sonu (32) if Guru Nanak Colony, Amritsar, he said, while adding that two cars including SUV Toyota Fortuner and Hatchback Maruti Swift has also been recovered from their possession. Earlier, the sleeve of the RPG was also recovered.

Pertinently, Nishan was arrested by the Faridkot police on May 11, 2022 in Arms Act case and he is on police remand till May 16, 2022.

The DGP, who was accompanied by ADGP Internal Security RN Dhoke and SSP Mohali Vivek Sheel Soni said that Landa took the help of Nishan and his other accomplice identified as Charat Singh of Khemkaran for carrying out RPG attack at the Intelligence HQs and being a local resident, Jagdeep helped Charat in conducting reccee of the Intelligence Office on Monday morning. On Monday evening, Charat and his two aides, who are yet to be identified, had carried out an RPG attack at the Intelligence HQs at about 7.42pm, he said.

DGP Bhawra said that initially Charat had provided hideouts to two attackers and later, he handed over them to Nishan, who had arranged their stay for their stay at residence of Kanwarjit Bath and Baljit Kaur in Amritsar from April 27, 2022 to May 7, 2022. Nishan had also retrieved RPG from the earmarked location on Kulla-Patti road on the directions of Landa, he added.

He said that Baljinder Rambo, who was arrested in NDPS cases and is a drug addict, had delivered the consignment of AK-47 to Charat and his two aides on the directions of Nishan. Anant Deep is a brother-in-law of Nishan and used to assist in providing logistic support, he said.

The DGP said that the Punjab Police have been on manhunt to arrest Charat, who is serving life sentence in a murder case and is out on parole, and his two accomplices. “Soon trio attackers will be arrested,” he said.

He informed that the Police have also brought Mohd. Nasim Alam and Mohd. Sharaf Raj, both residents of district Auraiya in Bihar for questioning from Noida as they were found to be in touch with two unknown attackers.