Role of Khalistani terrorist in Mohali attack under scanner
CHANDIGARH/MOHALI: Punjab Police have zeroed in on the role of a Khalistani terrorist as the possible mastermind behind the explosion 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.
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.
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 senior 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 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.