Man Behind 2021 Mohali RPG Attack, Canada-based Lakhbir Singh Landa Declared 'Terrorist' by Centre

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs declared Lakhbir Singh Landa, Canada-based gangster and member of the Khalistani group Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), as a terrorist.

As per a notification by MHA, the 33-year-old gangster was involved in the ‘rocket propelled grenade’ attack on the building of Public Health Intelligence Headquarter at Punjab’s Mohali in 2021 and several other terrorist activities.

The release further said, “Lakhbir Singh Landa son, of Niranjan Singh and Parminder Kaur, born on 24.08.1989, having permanent residence at VPO Harike, District Tarn Taran, Punjab and presently residing in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada belongs to Babbar Khalsa International; is listed as a terrorist organisation at serial number 1 of the First Schedule to the said Act.”

“Landa backed by cross border agency was involved in the terror attack through shoulder mounted Rocket Propelled Grenade on the building of Punjab State Intelligence Headquarter at Mohali and has been involved in supply of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), arms, sophisticated weapons, explosives from across the border to various modules for carrying out terrorist activities in the Punjab,” the release added.

Declaring the Canada-based gangster as a terrorist, the government statement stated, “…And whereas, an open ended warrant has been issued against Landa and a Look Out Circular was issued on June 9, 2021… And whereas, the Central government believes that Landa is involved in terrorism and he is to be added as a terrorist.”

WHO IS LAKHBIR SINGH SANDHU ALIAS LANDA?

• Originally from Tarn Taran, former “gangster” Landa is a Pakistan-based BKI terrorist. He earlier lived in Maharashtra’s Nanded and fled to Pakistan illegally in 2018-19.
• Some media reports in November last year claimed that Landa had died in a Lahore military hospital due to suspected drug overdose. The agencies, however, later found that he was alive.
• He is now believed to be residing in Edmonton in Alberta in Canada.
• The NIA has alleged his role in smuggling of arms, ammunition, explosives, and drugs into the Indian territory from Pakistan, recruiting operatives for the BKI, masterminding murders, and raising funds for the outfit through extortion.
• Landa had allegedly also been involved in several terrorist activities, including a Rocket-Propelled Grenade (RPG) attack on the Punjab police intelligence headquarters (Mohali) in May 2021. He was declared an “individual terrorist” through a Ministry of Home Affairs’ notification in February this year.