Suspects detained, role of Pak-based Khalistani terrorist Rinda in focus
CHANDIGARH/MOHALI : Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday said some people were detained in connection with the explosion at the headquarters of Punjab Police’s intelligence wing in Mohali a day ago even as police is looking into a possible role of a Khalistani terrorist.
Police have recovered the rocket launcher used in the attack. The investigators, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they were focused 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. DGP VK Bhawra, who visited the Punjab Police Intelligence headquarters on Tuesday, said the explosive used in the blast appeared to be Trinitrotoluene (TNT).
A pale yellow in colour in the solid-state, TNT is an essential component of many explosives and can be highly devastating.
It is learnt that the used grenade launcher was spotted by some ladies ragpicker on Tuesday morning in an abondoned site who informed the Police Naka nearby that something Green looking like Army weapon is lying nearby A colony situated around one Km from the Intel office. At least 10 people have been detained in connection with Monday night’s blast, the DGP said, adding that teams probing the case got strong leads in the case and the team was hopeful of cracking the case soon.
A massive hunt is on to nab those who facilitated in providing explosive and TNT to the attackers, an official said, requesting anonymity.
The probe points to local paid criminals hired for money to carry out the attack, said a senior official privy with the developments. 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 persons 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 official privy with the probe details said 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, 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.