Two held in connection with blast at BJP leader's Jalandhar home; ISI and Bishnoi involved: Police

Chandigarh: Two persons have been arrested in connection with a blast at Punjab BJP leader Manoranjan Kalia's residence in Jalandhar, a senior police officer said on Tuesday.

He further said the e-rickshaw used in the crime has also been recovered.

Addressing the media here, Special Director General of Police (law and order) Arpit Shukla said the crime was committed to disturb communal harmony.

"It was a major conspiracy of Pakistan's ISI. Zeeshan Akhtar, who is an associate of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and (Pakistani gangster) Shahzad Bhatti, they had hatched a conspiracy," said Shukla.

He further said an investigation into the possible links of the Babbar Khalsa International is also underway, adding that Punjab Police was also in touch with the central agencies.

A blast at Kalia's residence in Jalandhar early Tuesday damaged an aluminum partition, shattered glass windows of his home, his SUV and a motorcycle in the courtyard. No one was hurt, police said.

Kalia, a former Cabinet minister and former president of Punjab BJP, was at home when the explosion took place. He is also a member of the BJP's national executive.

There have been many incidents of explosions, targeting police posts in Amritsar and Gurdaspur in the past four to five months but this is the first such incident when the house of a prominent politician was targeted. Last month, a blast occurred outside a temple in Amritsar.