Arms supplier behind murder of Nangal VHP leader arrested

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 19

The Special Cell Unit of the Delhi Police along with the National Investigation Agency (NIA) nabbed an arms supplier for his alleged involvement in the murder of Vikas Prabhakar, alias Vikas Bagga, who was president of the Nangal unit of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP).

The accused has been identified as 22-year-old Dharminder Kumar, alias Kunal, who was nabbed from Ludhiana.

Bagga was shot dead on April 13, 2024, by unidentified assailants at his confectionery shop in Nangal.

Initially, the case was registered at the Nangal police station, which was later transferred to the NIA in May.

The police had received a specific input after which a team tracked Dharminder in Ludhiana and the information was shared with the NIA, said Additional CP (Special Cell) Pramod Singh Kushwah.

Dharminder, who has a history of involvement in illegal arms supply, was earlier booked under the Arms Act in Madhya Pradesh and Punjab.

“Dharminder revealed that after being released from the jail in April 2024, he came into contact with a person based in the Middle East through social media, who instructed him to arrange weapons,” said Kushwah.

The accused reportedly procured the weapons from Madhya Pradesh and supplied them to the assailants who carried out the assassination in Nangal.