(MENAFN- IANS) Chandigarh, Aug 12 (IANS) Punjab Police's Counter Intelligence (CI) Ludhiana and the Ludhiana Commissionerate Police have arrested a suspect named Mukul Mishra, who was wanted for the murder of a Nangal-based Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader, Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said on Monday.

The case is being investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Vikas Prabhakar alias Vikas Bagga, the head of VHP's Nangal Mandal, was shot dead by two assailants at his shop on Railway Road in Nangal on April 13. The assailants, one wearing a helmet and the other with his face covered with muffler, came on a black Scooty.

The latest arrest came almost four months after the police arrested both the assailants identified as Mandeep Kumar alias Mangi, and Surinder Kumar alias Rikka and recovered two .32 bore pistols and the Scooty used in the crime.

DGP Yadav said CI Ludhiana shared inputs with the Ludhiana Commissionerate Police and jointly launched an operation across Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir, which led to the arrest of Mukul Mishra, a resident of Gonda district in Uttar Pradesh.

He said that preliminary investigations have revealed that Mishra facilitated the payment via his bank account to procure the weapons used in Vikas Bagga's murder. The police have also identified two more UP-based suspects, including the person who procured the weapons, he added.

MENAFN12082024000231011071ID1108545303