Two back-to-back explosions near security establishments rocked Punjab on Tuesday night, triggering panic and a political blame game, with the police suspecting a plot by Pakistan’s ISI to cause disruptions ahead of the Operation Sindoor anniversary.
The first explosion went off in Jalandhar outside the Border Security Force’s Punjab Frontier headquarters, while the second blast occurred near the Army cantonment in Amritsar’s Khasa. No injuries were reported, the police said.
DGP Gaurav Yadav said on Wednesday that improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were used in the blasts. He was addressing the media after visiting the blast site at Khasa.
“The low intensity explosion at Khasa was caused by an IED, with shrapnel recovered from the scene by forensic teams. No wires were found, suggesting that the device may have been remote-controlled or timed. Forensic analysis will determine the exact nature of the explosive,” said the DGP.
He said investigations were being conducted in close coordination with the Army and other agencies, with multiple teams working on human intelligence, technical inputs and forensic evidence. CCTV footage from nearby areas had provided vital clues, he said.
Apart from visiting the site, the DGP, along with senior police officials, held meetings with Army, police and Border Range officials to assess the situation. Senior police officers, including the SSP, Amritsar (Rural), Sohail Qasim Mir, rushed to the spot immediately after the incident was reported at 10.50 pm. A bomb disposal squad, forensic experts and BSF personnel combed and sanitised the area, collecting exhibits and samples for scientific examination. An FIR has been registered under relevant sections of the law.
The Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) has claimed responsibility for the blast at Khasa. On Wednesday evening, a poster attributed to the KLF went viral on social media, asserting the group’s involvement. Police officials, however, said the authenticity of the poster was yet to be verified and investigations were on.
“Punjab has long been a frontline state in a proxy war with Pakistan. Non-existent entities like the Khalistan Liberation Army (KLA) have claimed responsibility for the Jalandhar blast, which is being verified. Some ISI agents lure the youth with money and exploit social media to spread fake narratives,” Yadav said. He urged youngsters not to fall into such traps.
Rejecting attempts to portray Punjab as a disturbed state, Yadav said: “Punjab is the most peaceful state in the country. Only a handful of ISI-backed elements want to create disturbance here. We will crush such elements.” Meanwhile, the DGP also visited the blast site in Jalandhar. He took inputs from forensics experts who were working to collect evidence since yesterday. Thereafter, he was briefed on the incident by Commissioner of Police Dhanpreet Kaur. He also interacted with BSF IG Atul Fulzele.
In a related development, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday blamed the BJP for the twin blasts in the state, linking the incidents to the party’s preparations for the Assembly elections early next year. The allegation drew a sharp response from the BJP, with its state unit president Sunil Jakhar saying the statement proved that Mann was “misfit” to run the state as the Chief Minister. Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu dared the CM to register an FIR against the party to substantiate his claim.
