Two Pak-backed operatives held for VHP leader’s murder
Police say both the shooters were in contact with foreignbased handlers via encrypted apps
Rupnagar police, in a joint operation with the State Special Operating Cell (SSOC)-Mohali, arrested two people in connection with the murder case of VHP leader Vikas Prabhakar, officials said on Tuesday.
Police said that the two were part of a terror module backed by a Pakistan-based terrorist organisation. Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on Tuesday said the murder case has been solved in less than three days. “In a major breakthrough,
Rupnagar Police in a joint operation with SSOC #Mohali, has solved the Vikas Murder Case in less than 3 days with the arrest of 2 operatives of a terror module backed by #Pakistan based terrorist masterminds,” the DGP said in a post on X.
Prabhakar was the president of the Nangal unit of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and was shot dead by two unidentified scooter-borne men at his shop in Nangal on April 13.
The DGP said that following a scientific and systematic investigation in this case, police arrested both the assailants, identified as Mandeep Kumar alias Mangi and Surinder Kumar alias Rikka, and recovered two .32 bore pistols, including one used in the crime, along with 16 live cartridges.
Besides this, the scooter used in the crime was also recovered from the accused, he added. The DGP said that preliminary investigations have revealed that this terror module was being operated, guided, motivated and funded by foreign-based handlers operating from Portugal.
“Arrested shooters are the foot soldiers of these foreignbased entities, who are the operatives of Pak-based terrorist masterminds. Foot soldiers have been recruited through the lure of money,” the DGP added.
He said that both the shooters were in contact with foreignbased handlers via encrypted apps, and the latter had shared the location and photo of the target with them, besides, arranging funds and weapons to execute this killing. Sharing more details, Rupnagar SSP Gulneet Singh Khurana said further investigations are on to ascertain the terror organisation which operated this module.
“It was a case of targeted killing. An FIR has been registered under Sections 302 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act at Nangal Police Station. The motive of the conspirators, behind the killing of the VHP leader, was to disturb the communal harmony in the state ahead of the Lok Sabha elections,” Khurana added
PRABHAKAR WAS THE PRESIDENT OF THE NANGAL UNIT OF THE VHP AND WAS SHOT DEAD BY TWO UNIDENTIFIED SCOOTER-BORNE MEN ON APRIL 13