A day after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) began an investigation into the petrol bomb attack on a homoeopathic clinic located on Mela Ram Road, opposite the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) office here, the Bathinda police on Thursday claimed to have solved the case with the arrest of two persons.
“Three persons were involved in the attack. Two of them have been arrested, while one is at large, and efforts are underway to nab him,” a senior police officer said.
Notably, an NIA team comprising a DSP and two inspectors visited the clinic on Wednesday and sought details from its owner, Dr Tarsem Garg.
Garg is the chief warden of the Civil Defence Corps, Bathinda, and a former leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). He also served as state secretary of the Punjab State Traders’ Commission.
His wife Dr Rajni Jindal, who contested the recently held Municipal Council elections as a BJP nominee, claimed to have received a WhatsApp call from a foreign number almost two hours after the blast.
The caller reportedly introduced himself as Pakistan-based terrorist Shahzad Bhatti. “The caller had even sent two messages later with his name and ‘Hi’,” said Rajni.
The incident took place on Monday night, when Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was staying overnight in the city, less than a kilometre from the site.
According to CCTV footage, two unidentified persons arrived at the clinic, and one of them, with his face covered, hurled a petrol bomb into the outer courtyard. The attack damaged a scooty and some plants and left burn marks on a window. No one was injured.
Garg said two employees present at the clinic informed him about the blast and extinguished the fire. Police and forensic teams later visited the site and collected evidence.
