Harwinder Kumar deported from UAE, arrested by NIA in Vikas Prabhakar murder case

Harwinder Kumar, an accused linked to Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), was deported from the UAE and taken into custody by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with the killing of Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Vikas Prabhakar in Punjab’s Nangal area in 2024, people familiar with the development said on Thursday.

Prabhakar was shot dead by terrorists belonging to a BKI module in his confectionery shop at Nangal, district Roopnagar, Punjab, on April 13, 2024. Pakistan-based BKI chief Wadhawa Singh is named as the primary accused in this case.

“Indian agencies achieved a major breakthrough in securing the deportation of Harwinder Kumar, alias Sonu Barnala, who is linked to the murder of VHP leader Vikas Prabhakar in Nangal, Punjab. Prabhakar was shot dead by operatives of the terror organisation Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) in an attempt to create communal unrest, at the behest of its Pakistan-based chief, Wadhawa Singh, alias Babbar,” the ministry of home affairs (MHA) said on its official X account.

The ministry said that under its anti-terrorism strategy called ‘Prahaar’, deportation of terrorists to India has been expedited.

Kumar alias Sonu Barnala had allegedly provided logistical support and financing to the perpetrators for the killing.

An Interpol red notice was issued against Sonu Barnala on April 17 this year. Indian agencies requested the UAE to hand him over to India.

He was deported on Thursday after vigorous diplomatic efforts, NIA said in its statement.

The agency said that the conspiracy to eliminate Prabhakar was allegedly hatched by Germany-based BKI operatives Harjit Singh, alias Laddi, and Kulbeer Singh, alias Sidhu. The probe has further established that Kumar, while operating from the UAE, played a crucial role as a logistics provider and financier for the BKI operatives based abroad, the NIA statement said.

“He acted as a recruiter and handler, arranged weapons and facilitated their delivery to the shooters involved in the killing of Prabhakar,” it said.