NIA, Delhi Police Arrest Key Arms Supplier in VHP Leader Murder Case

In a joint effort, the NIA and Delhi Police have apprehended Dharminder Kumar, an arms supplier linked to the assassination of VHP leader Vikas Bagga. The arrest is part of an ongoing investigation into the crime, originally reported at Nangal Police Station and later transferred to the NIA.

In a significant development, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Delhi Police have arrested Dharminder Kumar, an arms supplier wanted in connection with the murder of Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Vikas Bagga. Dharminder Kumar, also known as Kunal, hails from Ludhiana, Punjab, and procured weapons from Madhya Pradesh for the assassination.

Vikas Bagga was fatally shot at his confectionery shop in Nangal, Punjab, on April 13, 2024. Initially registered with the Nangal Police Station, Rupnagar District, Punjab, the case was transferred to the NIA in May 2024 due to its severity. Acting on a tip-off, a team from the Special Cell, South Western Range, tracked Kumar in Ludhiana and alerted the NIA, leading to his arrest.

A joint team, supervised by Manoj C, IPS, DCP Special Cell, and SP NIA Chandigarh, captured Kumar from Sherpur Kalan, Ludhiana. Upon interrogation, Kumar confessed to the crime and revealed his involvement in the supply of illegal arms from Madhya Pradesh. He had been previously booked under the Arms Act in Madhya Pradesh and Punjab.

Kumar disclosed that after his release from jail in April 2024, he connected with a Middle Eastern contact via social media, who instructed him to arrange weapons. He secured the arms from Madhya Pradesh and supplied them to the assailants. Kumar has been booked under multiple sections of the IPC, Arms Act, and UA(P) Act, 1967.

Earlier in April, Punjab Police arrested two individuals, Mandeep Kumar alias Mangi and Surinder Kumar alias Rikka, part of a Pakistan-backed terror module linked to the murder case. DGP Gaurav Yadav stated that the police teams solved the case in under three days, recovering weapons and arresting the suspects.

The arrested shooters had been in contact with foreign handlers who provided target details and arranged funds and arms. An FIR was registered on April 13 under multiple IPC and Arms Act sections at Nangal Police Station.

(With inputs from agencies.)