Main suspect in Mohali RPG attack Deepak Ranga arrested in Gorakhpur

Chandigarh, January 25

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested Deepak Ranga, who was the main shooter in the RPG attack on Punjab Police Intelligence Headquarters, Mohali, on May 9 last year.

He was arrested from Gorakhpur on Wednesday morning, an NIA statement said. Deepak along with a juvenile accomplice were spotted riding a bike a day before attack.

The juvenile was arrested earlier from Mumbai in a joint operation by the Punjab and Delhi Police. The brazen attack shook the police administration and the newly formed Bhagwant Mann government, which was in second month of governance only.

Ranga, hailing from Surakpur village in Jhajjar, Haryana, is a close associate of Canada-based gangster-turned-terrorist Lakhbir Singh Sandhu, alias Landa, and Pakistan-based gangster-turned-terrorist Harvinder Singh Sandhu, alias Rinda.

Apart from his involvement in the RPG attack, Ranga has been involved in a number of other violent terrorist and criminal offences, including killings. He had been receiving terror funds and logistical support from Rinda and Landa, an NIA spokesperson said.

The NIA had taken over the case in September 2022 after it emerged that terrorist outfits and terror elements based abroad were operating in tandem with leaders and members of organised criminal gangs operating in northern states to commit targeted killings and criminal acts. It had also emerged that the network was also engaged in smuggling arms, ammunition explosives and IEDs across the border through gun runners, illegal arms and ammunition manufacturers and suppliers.

The statement further said since the registration of three cases against the terror-gangster-drug smuggler network, the NIA has already arrested 19 members of various organised criminal gangs, two arms suppliers and one financier connected with the network under UAPA.

Canada-based Arsh Dalla was designated as an ‘individual terrorist’ by the MHA on January 9.

Landa’s aide ranga belongs to Jhajjar

• Deepak Ranga is a native of Surakpur village in Jhajjar. He was arrested on Wednesday morning
• He is a close aide of Lakhbir Singh Sandhu, alias Landa, and Harvinder Singh Sandhu, alias Rinda
• The May 9 attack shook the police administration and the newly formed Bhagwant Mann government