On November 19, senior state police and intelligence officials reportedly said that Gangster-turned-terrorist Harvinder Singh Sandhu alias Rinda died in a hospital in Lahore, Pakistan. He was named in at least ten terror cases in Punjab. Reports suggest he was undergoing treatment for a kidney ailment allegedly triggered by a drug overdose.
Other reports have suggested that the Davinder Bhambiha mafia group has claimed responsibility for his death as he allegedly turned against its members. Rinda was wanted by Punjab Police in at least 24 crimes related to homicide, contract killing, robbery, extortion and more. He was recently named in the Faridkot murder case where Dera Sacha Sauda disciple Pardeep Singh Kataria was shot dead by six assailants in broad daylight. His role was also suspected in the murder of Hindu leader Sudhir Suri who was killed last month.
There was a cash reward of Rs 10 lakhs announced by the National Investigation Agency for any information on Rinda. Interpol had also issued a Red notice against him. According to The Sunday Express, a dossier on Rinda noted, “He is the most wanted A+ category gangster of Punjab. Besides this, he is also involved and wanted in many cases by police forces of Maharashtra, Chandigarh, Haryana and West Bengal.” On August 18, 2017, a lookout notice was issued against Rinda. On May 5, 2022, the Central Bureau of Investigation issued a Red Corner notice against him, just four days before the Mohali RPG attack.
Pakistani hospitals denied any such death
The Pakistani government operates two hospitals in Lahore that are Jinnah Hospital and Services Hospital. Both hospitals have denied any such death in the last two days. Few media houses reported he had died in a military hospital. Indian Express reported that they contacted Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Lahore. An official informed them that a 33-year-old man identified as ‘Mohammad Usmaan’ had died in the hospital due to a drug overdose. However, the official reportedly denied anyone named Rinda or Harvinder Singh Sandhu was admitted or died on their premises.
Rinda was associated with the terrorist organization Babbar Khalsa International. He provided crucial support to Pakistan’s intelligence agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), to smuggle weapons and drugs into Punjab from Pakistan. A senior Punjab Police official said Rinda was also named as the mastermind behind the RPG attack on intelligence headquarters in Mohali, Punjab, in May this year.
Hindustan Times quoted a top state police official saying the exact reason behind his death was unknown. Calling Rinda’s death a ‘huge relief’ for Punjab, he said, “Though the exact reason behind his death is not known yet, the information we are getting from the central agencies is that Rinda, a heroin addict, was undergoing treatment for drug-overdose at a hospital.”
The possibility of ISI’s hand cannot be overruled
He further added ISI’s hand in Rinda’s death could not be ruled out. He said, “He died on Friday. ISI could also be behind his death as in recent times he was not sharing a cordial relationship with BKI’s head Wadawa Singh Babbar.”
Rinda was originally from Tarn Taran, Punjab. In 2008, Rinda was arrested for the first time following a scuffle within his family. During his time in prison, Rinda came in contact with criminals and later shifted to Nanded, Maharashtra, after his release. A few years down the line, he got in touch with pro-Khalistan terror groups that provided him security cover and using fake documents, he escaped to Pakistan in 2020.
Another official was quoted by HT saying, “After another face of Khalistani terrorism enjoying, Harmeet Singh PhD, was killed near Lahore in 2020, there were inputs that the ISI was using Rinda to the fulfil its goals. Rinda has strong and old contacts in Punjab and has become Pakistan’s key hand for Punjab plans.”
Security agencies cautious with reports
A senior police official was quoted by the Indian Express suggesting that the reports could be false. He said, “In the past, there were reports that Pakistan-based terrorist Harmeet Singh, PhD had died. Six months later, we realized he was very much alive as we analyzed his activities and call details. He died sometime later.”
