Canada-Based Arsh Dalla Behind Grenade Attack at Mansa Petrol Pump Too; Key Accused Held

Delivering yet another blow to the Gangster-turned-Terrorist Arsh Dalla’s network in the state, Counter Intelligence (CI) Bathinda in a joint operation with Mansa Police has solved the Mansa grenade attack case with the arrest of key accused identified as Shimla Singh, who hurled the grenade at petrol pump on the directions of the former, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Tuesday.

The development came less than 72 hours after the arrest of two shooters identified as Anmolpreet Singh alias Vishal of Barnala and Navjot Singh alias Neetu of Kharar for their involvement in the murder of Gurpreet Singh Hari Nau alias Bhodi, who was also killed at the behest of terrorist Arsh Dalla on October 9, 2024.

As per the information, on the intervening night of 26th and 27th October 2024, a hand grenade attack was carried out at a Jio Petrol Pump station located at Sirsa Road, Mansa. Following the explosion, the owner of the petrol pump had also received a threatening call from a foreign mobile number, wherein the caller claimed responsibility for the attack and demanded extortion of Rs 5 crore.

DGP Gaurav Yadav said that accused Shimla Singh, while confessing his role in the Mansa grenade attack, has disclosed that he obtained the grenade from Garhshankar area on instructions of terrorist Arsh Dalla.

“Preliminary investigations have also revealed that accused Shimla Singh had also provided logistical assistance to the shooters involved in the Gurpreet Singh Hari Nau Murder incident,” he said.

The DGP said that accused Shimla Singh had also previously been involved in various criminal activities and in April 2023, CI Bathinda had pre-empted his plans to target an Uttrakhand-based person when he was arrested along with three pistols. Further investigations are ongoing to expose further links in the conspiracy and more arrests are likely, he added.

Sharing more details, SSP Mansa Bhagirath Singh Meena said that following the incident, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted under the chairmanship of SP Investigation Mansa Manmohan Singh Aulakh to further investigate the above said case. The SIT in coordination with CI Bathinda took immediate action and carried out the investigation in a scientific manner.

AIG CI Bathinda Avneet Kaur Sidhu said that teams of CI Bathinda and Mansa Police jointly arrested accused Shimla Singh from Khokhar Road in Mansa when he was going somewhere on foot.

In this regard, a case FIR No. 139 dated 27.10.2024 had already been registered under sections 308 (4) and 351 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), section 3 of the Explosive Substance Act and section 10 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act at Police Station City-1 Mansa.