Punjab Police have zeroed in on the role of a Khalistani terrorist as the possible mastermind behind the blast that rocked the headquarters of the force’s intelligence wing in Mohali on Monday, investigators said on Tuesday.
The investigators, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they were focussed on the role of gangster-turned-Khalistani terrorist Harvinder Singh Rinda, who hails from Tarn Taran district and was wanted in at least 24 criminal cases in Punjab and Maharashtra, before he fled to Pakistan two years ago.
Senior police officials said preliminary probe suggested the attack was executed by members of a local gang active in Punjab and Haryana, at the behest of Rinda.
The explosion, believed to be the result of a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) attack, rocked Mohali at 7.45pm on Monday. Though no one was injured, the blast in room number 41 on the third floor of the headquarters shattered the windows of the building.
At least 10 people have been detained in connection with Monday night’s blast. A massive hunt is on to nab those who facilitated in providing explosive and Trinitrotoluene (TNT) to the attackers, an official said, requesting anonymity.
Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann, who chaired a meeting of senior Punjab Police officials early in the morning, said “those carrying out such acts will have to pay for it and have to face strictest punishment that their generations would remember for years“.
The probe points to local paid criminals hired for money to carry out the attack, said a senior official privy with the developments.
{{/usCountry}}The probe points to local paid criminals hired for money to carry out the attack, said a senior official privy with the developments.
{{/usCountry}}A team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) took samples of the explosive as well, according to an IG-rank officer who did not wished to be named.
The CCTV footage collected by the probe team showed that two people used a Swift Dzire car to launch the grenade attack on the intelligence headquarters and fled towards Haryana.
At least 10 police teams were sent to various locations in different states to nab the accused who assisted the assailants in providing the RPG.
A second senior official privy with the probe details said that the attack was planned around 20 days ago. Forensic teams observed that the grenade could have done more damage if it had hit the windows directly.
Rinda, the gangster who is under the protection of Pakistan agencies in Lahore, is active in anti-India operations with a focus on Khalistan. He has been using his links among gangsters to carry out terror activities in Punjab, the second senior official said.
Punjab Police recently busted three modules linked with Rinda that attacked the crime investigation agency (CIA) police station at Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar and Kalma police post in Rupnagar WHEN
The police also registered a case against unknown persons under Sections 307, Section 16 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Act, (UAPA), and Section 16 of the Explosive Act on the complaint of Balkar Singh, the security in-charge at the Sohana police station.
The case was registered on the statement of Balkar Singh, who said he was on duty in the evening and at around 7.45pm, there was an explosion. When he went on the third floor, there was smoke emanating from room number 41, he said. “When we went inside, we found the RPG on the chair. It had been shattered the window and hit the roof of the room before falling on the chair,” he added in the FIR.
Director General of Police (DGP) VK Bhawra, who visited the Punjab Police Intelligence headquarters on Tuesday, said the explosive used in the blast appeared to be TNT.
A pale yellow in colour in the solid-state, TNT is an essential component of many explosives. The DGP said police teams probing the case got strong leads in the case and the team was hopeful of cracking the case soon.