The National Investigation Agency (NIA) today 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.
“A DSP and two inspectors from the NIA visited the clinic and sought details from me after spending nearly one-and-a-half hours today,” said clinic owner Dr Tarsem Garg, who is also the chief warden of the civil defence corps, Bathinda.
His wife, Dr Rajni Jindal, who contested the recently held municipal council elections as a BJP nominee, had 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 Dr Rajni.
The incident took place on Monday night when Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann was staying overnight in the city, less than a km from the site. As per the CCTV footage, two unidentified persons had arrived there. One of them had covered his face and allegedly hurled a petrol bomb at the clinic’s outer courtyard, damaging a Scooty and plants and leaving burn marks on a window. No one was injured in the attack.
Garg, who had earlier served as state secretary of the Punjab State Traders’ Commission, said two employees present at the clinic informed him after the blast and extinguished the fire. The police and forensic teams later visited the site and collected evidence.
