Designated terrorist Landa big headache for security agencies

Jupinderjit Singh

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Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 10

Designated terrorist by India, Canada-based gangster Lakhbir Singh Landa is a big headache for security agencies of the country. His brother Tarsem Singh was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday after his extradition from the UAE.

The Global Operations Centre of the CBI had coordinated with the NIA and INTERPOL NCB-Abu Dhabi for return of Red Notice subject Tarsem Sandhu from the UAE to India on Friday.

Through his wide network, he is active in extorting money from businessmen besides supplying arms, fake currency and drugs to various gangs in the state. He has been involved in terror attacks on police buildings, including the RPG attack on the Punjab Intelligence Unit building in Mohali, besides recruiting youngsters to carry out subversive acts.

Nearly 150 associates of Landa’s aides have been arrested. More than 50 cases have been registered against the 35-year-old criminal in the past 18 months, but security agencies are far from catching him. He is living in ‘safe haven’ in Alberta, Canada. He runs a pro-Khalistan terror organisation, Babbar Khalsa International, from there, say the police. “He makes most of the extortion calls in Punjab,” revealed a police official.

After declaring him a designated terrorist last year, the NIA announced a cash reward of Rs 10 lakh on information about his whereabouts. A Look Out Circular stands against him. He also faces charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The Punjab Police have registered nearly 20 cases in the past six months and arrested several of his relatives and associates. A number of businessmen, who did not file FIRs, have informed the police about receiving threat calls from him or his gang members.

Every few weeks, cases are registered against them in the state, especially in Majha and Doaba. He gets help from Pakistan’s ISI and his UK-based accomplice Harjit Singh Bhandal. His major source of power is the most-wanted terrorist, Harwinder Singh Rinda.

On June 12, Jalandhar Commissionerate police arrested his family members for making extortion calls to a businessman. Among the persons arrested were his sister Jaspal Kaur, her husband Ranjodh Singh and mother Parminder Kaur. They were accused of harbouring Yadwinder Singh, a member of the Landa gang. The police also arrested Yadwinder’s parents and sister.

Two days before these arrests, the police nabbed three more members of his gang for opening fire at guards of a factory owner. They were Gurpreet Singh, alias Gopy, Bhupinder Singh, alias Bunty and Jagroop Singh, alias Joopa.

“We are onto him. We will not allow him and his gang to terrorise anyone,” said a senior police official investigating Landa’s gang and its operations.

On July 15, the police busted a 13-member gang, which was part of Landa’s network, in Jalandhar and seized three pistols and cartridges from them. The gang members, who were from Tarn Taran, were targeting shopkeepers in Tarn Taran and Amritsar. Most of them were new recruits without any criminal record. In 2023, the police had raided nearly 50 hideouts of his gang members.

On April 15, it was Kapurthala police that arrested 12 members of the Landa group. Two businessmen families were specifically targeted by them. On July 19, the NIA arrested arms smuggler Baljeet Singh, alias Rana Bhai, alias Ballu, for supplying weapons to members of the Landa gang and Khalistan modules in Punjab.

According to a police dossier on him, Landa holds a BPharm degree, but got hooked on to drugs when he was about 16. His first crime in police records was involvement in a street quarrel with a rival group of youths. Later, he came in contact with hardened criminals and gangsters.

A resident of Kirian near Harike in Tarn Taran, he fled to Canada on his own passport even though police cases were pending against him. It has been alleged that some cops in Tarn Taran helped him escape on June 22, 2015, and he never returned. Landa remained underground till about 2020, before he became active in carrying out operations in Punjab.

Carries Rs 10 lakh reward

• Over 50 cases registered against Lakhbir Singh Landa in past 18 months
• He is living in 'safe haven' in Alberta, Canada
• The NIA has announced a ~10 lakh reward for information about his whereabouts

Kin arrested

On June 12, the police arrested his family members for making extortion calls to a businessman. Among the persons arrested were his sister Jaspal Kaur, her husband Ranjodh Singh and mother Parminder Kaur