Amritsar temple grenade attack: Cops gun down one suspect, another escapes; DGP says ‘no bullet-for-bullet’ policy

Commissioner of Police Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said the suspects, who were on a motorcycle, were asked to stop by a police team but they opened fire. Head constable Gurpreet Singh sustained a bullet injury in his left arm while one bullet hit the turban of Inspector Amolak Singh, said Bhullar. He said the accused fired five rounds at the police team, which retaliated in self-defence.

Gursidak Singh was injured and taken to Civil Hospital where he later succumbed to injuries while Vishal managed to flee, Bhullar said, adding efforts were underway to arrest him.

Gursidak Singh was involved in two cases of snatching at gunpoint and had been recently released from jail, while Vishal faces an attempt to murder case.

Earlier, Punjab Police chief Gaurav Yadav said acting on specific intelligence, Amritsar police tracked down the suspects in Rajasansi. Yadav, in a post on X, said the accused opened fire, injuring two police officers following which, “acting in self-defence, the police party fired back”, injuring one accused.

Later, interacting with media in Chandigarh, Yadav said the police aim to work within the law, conduct probes and punish the accused through law.

“Our effort is to work within the parameters of law and carry out professional investigation and get the accused punished through the courts. When we face any firing, then we retaliate in self-defence. Bullet for bullet is not an aggressive policy. It is a policy of self-defence. If police is attacked, police will respond,” he said while replying to queries pertaining to Amritsar encounter.

Earlier, CCTV camera footage of the incident showed two unidentified people reaching the temple on a motorcycle. After waiting for a sometime, one of them was seen throwing the explosive device towards the temple. The blast occurred as they were fleeing the scene.

The priest of the temple, who was sleeping inside, escaped unhurt but the blast panic among residents in the Khandwala area.

The police had said that it suspects the role of Pakistan’s spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in the attack.

An FIR was registered at Chheharta police station under the Explosive Substances Act based on a complaint filed by the temple priest. A fresh FIR has been registered at Airport police station following the encounter, DGP Yadav said.