'Low intensity' Amritsar blast part of Pakistan ISI's designs on Op Sindoor anniversary: Punjab DGP

Chandigarh: A blast, which occurred near the army cantonment boundary wall in Amritsar's Khasa, was a low-intensity explosion, Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav said on Wednesday. The blast occurred on Tuesday night, and no injuries were reported, police said.

The DGP mentioned that no group has claimed responsibility for the explosion, but it appears that Pakistan's ISI might be behind the incident. "We assume that, as today is the Operation Sindoor anniversary, this is part of Pakistan's ISI designs to cause disruptions in Punjab. Punjab is fighting a proxy war on behalf of the nation against Pakistan," he said.

Accusing the ISI of wanting to build a fake narrative, the DGP noted that certain elements wanted to disturb the atmosphere in Punjab. "Some elements want to build a narrative that Punjab is a disturbed state. Punjab is the most peaceful state in country, and there is no disturbance here. A handful of elements want to disturb the atmosphere in Punjab at Pak ISI's behest. We will crush such elements and not allow them to raise their head," he said.

Two back-to-back explosions near security establishments shook Punjab on Tuesday night, triggering panic and drawing condemnation from opposition parties, which called them efforts to "destabilise" the state. The first explosion happened around 8 pm in Jalandhar outside the headquarters of the Border Security Force's Punjab Frontier, while the second blast occurred at around 11 pm in Amritsar.

An investigation into both the incidents is underway. After holding a meeting with army authorities and senior officers from the Punjab Police, DGP Yadav briefed reporters on the discussions. He stated that common concerns regarding security were reviewed, and directives were issued. He said that a meeting was also held with senior police officers of the Amritsar police commissionerate.

According to the DGP, the exact nature of the explosion and the device used will be determined pending forensic examination.

Regarding the Jalandhar explosion, the DGP said that the Khalistan Liberation Army (KLF) has claimed responsibility, adding that "we are verifying" the claim. In the Amritsar blast case, no one has claimed responsibility for the explosion so far. However, the DGP mentioned that investigations are being conducted from all angles.

The DGP informed that shrapnel from an improvised explosive device (IED) was found at the explosion site, suggesting that it was either a timed explosion or detonated remotely. Investigators are analysing clues, CCTV footage, and conducting a tower dump analysis of phone records, he added. Senior officers from the Punjab Police, including the Amritsar SSP (Rural), visited the explosion site. The bomb disposal squad from the Punjab Police and BSF, along with forensic experts, sanitised the area and collected samples for scientific analysis.

The DGP noted that an FIR has been registered under relevant sections, and investigations are being conducted in close coordination with the army and other agencies. "Multiple teams are working on this utilising human intelligence, technical resources, and forensic inputs to ensure investigations are conducted in a scientific manner," he said, asserting that the perpetrators will be arrested.

When asked if central agencies had provided any inputs indicating that hostile forces might carry out an attack during the anniversary of Operation Sindoor, the DGP replied, "We are living in a state of proxy war. Inputs keep coming in, and we act on them. Punjab is a frontline state and is fighting the nation's war, as the chief minister has previously stated." Regarding the potential connection between the incidents in Jalandhar and Amritsar, the DGP said that no links have been established so far, although he acknowledged that presumptions could be made.

In response to one question, the DGP described the KLF as a non-existent organisation, calling them "ISI stooges," and urged the youth not to be influenced by such elements.

He added that all past incidents, including grenade attacks targeting police stations, have been resolved.

Earlier, Amritsar (Rural) Senior Superintendent of Police Suhail Mir Qasim stated that police received reports of a loud explosion around 11 pm on a road in Khasa, Amritsar. "Our teams arrived at the scene immediately," he said.

Preliminary inspections indicated that someone had thrown an explosive device towards the boundary wall, leading to the explosion, according to the SSP. Police mentioned that a piece of a tin sheet covering the boundary wall had fallen as a result of the blast. Following the explosion, a team of forensic and bomb disposal squad visited the site to collect samples.

Amritsar Rural Superintendent of Police Aditya S Warrier, who also visited the scene, confirmed that further investigations are ongoing. Police added that a team of army officials also assessed the situation, after which the area was cordoned off. In the Jalandhar incident, the blast ripped apart a scooter, damaged a traffic signal pole and windowpanes of a nearby shop. Locals recounted that the scooter, which was parked outside the BSF headquarters, Punjab Frontier, caught fire shortly after a loud sound. The scooter belonged to Gurpreet Singh, who regularly delivers parcels in the area.