New Delhi: Punjab was placed on alert after two separate blast-like incidents were reported within hours in Amritsar and Jalandhar, triggering panic and heightened security across the state.
In Amritsar, a suspected explosion was reported around 10:50 pm near the Khasa cantonment area. Police and Army personnel reached the spot soon after receiving information. According to reports, no injuries were reported in this incident.
Earlier in the evening, around 8 pm in Jalandhar, a scooter parked outside the Border Security Force Punjab Frontier headquarters caught fire, with locals reporting a loud blast-like sound. Police stated that it was too early to confirm whether the incident was an explosion or an accidental fire.
Jalandhar Police Commissioner Dhanpreet Kaur indicated that initial findings suggested a parked scooter had caught fire, though all possible angles were under investigation.
A senior Punjab Police officer said that a group identifying itself as the Khalistan Liberation Army had claimed responsibility for the Jalandhar incident, though authorities were verifying the authenticity of the claim. The officer also noted that a possible link to Pakistan-based gangster Shahzad Bhatti was being examined.
Security agencies, including forensic teams, bomb disposal squads, and dog squads, were deployed at the site, and the area was cordoned off. Officials confirmed that the injured youth was cooperating with investigators.
Meanwhile, opposition parties criticised the Aam Aadmi Party government, alleging deterioration in law and order. Leaders from the Shiromani Akali Dal, BJP, and Congress raised concerns over security lapses and called for a thorough investigation and stronger preventive measures.
Shiromani Akali Dal President Sukhbir Singh Badal, in a post on X, said: Three blasts in 10 days, two in a single day – May 5: Jalandhar outside BSF headquarters & Sri Amritsar Sahib Army area, April 27: Rajpura rail track. Continued intelligence failures and collapse of law & order are a matter of grave concern. Chief Minister @BhagwantMann , who is also the state Home Minister, is busy in mimicry & cheap politics. He has forfeited the right to remain in office.”
