Mohali RPG Attack: Man Who Gave Shelter to Suspected Attackers Detained

Police have also indicated the role of gangster Harvinder Singh alias Rinda, believed to be based in Pakistan.

A blast was reported outside Punjab Police's intelligence headquarters in Mohali on Monday evening, 9 May.

(Photo: The Quint)

Two days after a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) was fired at the Punjab Police's intelligence headquarters in Mohali, a man who gave logistics support to some suspects who fired the RPG, has been detained by the state police.

The latest suspect to be detained has been identified as Nishan Singh, a resident of Faridkot.

Police said Singh belongs to Tarn Taran district and has five cases including dacoity and that of Arms Act in Faridkot and Tarn Taran.

Two accused were provided shelter by Nishan Singh in Amritsar for three days before the RPG attack, police were quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.

Director General of Police VK Bhawra had said on Tuesday, 10 May, that they have got a few leads and the case would be solved soon.

"A number of suspects have been rounded up and questioned. The launcher used in the attack has been recovered by the police and all leads developed in the case are being pursued meticulously," a statement issued by the Mohali police said.

The RPG was fired at the third floor of the highly-guarded building in Mohali's Sector 77 at 7:45 pm on Monday.

Key Suspect in Mohali RPG Attack Held, Pak-Based Gangster’s Role Suspected: Reports

Meanwhile, preliminary investigations by the Punjab Police have indicated the role of wanted gangster Harvinder Singh alias Rinda, who is believed to be currently based in Pakistan and involved in terror operations against India, as per news reports.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had said on Tuesday, that the police were investigating the blast in Mohali and "whoever tried to spoil the atmosphere of our Punjab will not be spared."

Meanwhile, a red alert was issued for Amritsar and security was heightened in the border city on Tuesday.

Rinda, 35, is also believed to have sent a consignment of explosives, which is suspected to have been dropped on a Ferozepur field recently by drones from Pakistan.

The consignment was seized last Thursday from four Punjab residents who are alleged associates of Rinda and were on their way to Telangana, sources were quoted by The Indian Express.

Rinda was also suspected to have planned the hand-grenade attack at the Crime Investigating Agency building in Nawanshahr on the night of 7 November 2021.

On Tuesday night, District Public Relations Officer, SAS Nagar had informed that the RPG launcher used in the attack has been recovered by the police.

Further, a white car used by the culprits was last spotted near Dera Bassi, about 20 km away from the site, as per sources quoted by The Indian Express.

The state police had earlier recovered an explosive device packed with around 1.5 kg of RDX on Sunday. Two men in a village in the Tarn Taran district were also arrested in connection with the same.

Suspecting the blast to be a terror attack, a Delhi Police Special Cell team reached Mohali on 11 May to understand how the building of Punjab Police was targeted.

“It is for the first time that an RPG has been used in an attack in the state. It requires training and cannot be launched by an amateur,” a police source was quoted as saying.

Following the attack, the police registered a First Information Report (FIR) against unknown persons at Sohana police station under Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 307 (attempt to murder), and sections of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) (Act) (UAPA) and Explosive Substances Act.

(With inputs from The Indian Express and Hindustan Times.)