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Mohali RPG attack: Shooter Ranga sent to 10-day police remand
A Mohali court on Sunday sent Deepak Ranga, alleged shooter in the rocket propelled grenade attack at Punjab Police intelligence headquarters in Mohali on May 9 last year, to 10-day police remand.
Mohali
A Mohali court on Sunday sent Deepak Ranga, alleged shooter in the rocket propelled grenade (RPG) attack at Punjab Police intelligence headquarters in Mohali on May 9 last year, to 10-day police remand.
The Sohana police on Sunday brought Ranga on a production warrant from Delhi. He was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) last month from Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh. The police, according to people familiar with the matter, are now recreating the crime scene with four accused in custody, including the sole juvenile, along with Ranga, Gurpinder, alias Pindu, and Nishan Singh.
Police are also hoping to get crucial leads about the person who allegedly helped Ranga and the juvenile in recce of the place before launching the RPG attack, said officials privy of the development.
Police are suspecting the involvement of a local in assisting the key accused in the recce. The suspect was caught on the CCTV camera but could not be identified.
“We are cross-examining Ranga along with the juvenile to know the exact planning and execution of the RPG attack. We are suspecting involvement of a local person who helped both the juvenile and Ranga in the recce before attack following which both the accused fired an RPG at the intelligence headquarters. Three persons were caught on the CCTV camera doing recce on a motorcycle, including the juvenile, Ranga and an unidentified man. We hope to get leads about the unidentified man while the bike was recovered from the juvenile,” said a senior police officer.
The officer added that during creating the crime scene on the basis of interrogation of the accused in custody, the police teams visited all points and roads from where they passed before the attack. “After doing the recce, the three accused went to a shop on Landran road to have biryani. We took the accused on the exact route which they used for doing recce and launching the attack. We will soon nab the unidentified man,” added the officer.
Another official said before launching the RPG, one of the accused received a video call from gangster-turned-terrorist Harvinder Singh Sandhu, alias Rinda, who asked them to stand at the road in front of the intelligence building and launch the RPG immediately.
“The accused escaped to Nepal after the attack but returned after an altercation with another co-accused and shortage of money,” said the police officer.
Out of 14 accused in the case, including an unidentified person, 11 have been nabbed while the alleged masterminds behind the attack Lakhbir Singh, alias Landa, and Harvinder Singh, alias Rinda, are absconding.
Punjab director general of police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav had claimed that on April 25 last year, accused Charhat Singh, Nishan Singh and Baljinder Rambo had brought consignment of RPG and an assault rifle from Tarn Taran to Amritsar, and kept it at Gurpinder Pindu’s house near a mall in Amritsar.
Pindu allegedly had also provided harbour to shooters, Ranga and the juvenile, at his house on the same night.
Punjab Police had arrested Pindu, Charat Singh, Nishan Singh, Jagdeep Singh, Baljinder Singh Rambo, Kanwarjeet Singh Bath, Anantdeep Singh Sonu, Baljeet Kaur Sukhi, and Lovepreet Singh Vicky. The juvenile who had allegedly carried out the attack, was arrested by the Delhi Police. Ranga was arrested by the NIA.
