4 min readChandigarhApr 18, 2025 09:26 AM IST
First published on: Apr 18, 2025 at 09:26 AM IST
The Army jawan arrested by the Punjab Police in connection with a recent grenade attack belongs to the Sikh Light Infantry regiment and has served in the Army for eight years, including a stint with a Rashtriya Rifles battalion in Jammu and Kashmir in 2021.
His alleged involvement in the grenade attack has set alarm bells ringing across the security establishment, including the Army, which has also launched an internal investigation. The Punjab Police tracked his location in J&K by tracing his mobile phone.
A Punjab Police team led by a Deputy Superintendent of Police arrested Sepoy Sukhcharan Singh of 3 Sikh Light Infantry (3 SIKH LI) from Rajouri, Jammu and Kashmir.
He is accused of providing online training to individuals involved in the grenade attack on the residence of YouTuber Rozer Sandhu in Jalandhar on the intervening night of March 15-16.
The police team was armed with a non-bailable warrant issued by the Judicial Magistrate, Class I, Jalandhar.
Punjab Police sources said the 30-year-old jawan, a resident of a village in Sri Muktsar Sahib district, has been serving in the Army for the past eight years. “The jawan does not have a history of poor disciplinary conduct, but it is important to note that he was awarded 14 days’ rigorous imprisonment and a 14-day pay fine by his Commanding Officer at his previous posting for being absent without leave for 29 days from his unit in Bikaner,” a police officer said.
The Army is reported to have initiated a parallel inquiry into the jawan’s activities to determine if he was part of any group of radicalised personnel.
During questioning, the police learned that he last went on leave for 45 days between January and February this year.
“It’s a wake-up call to address both external threats and internal lapses to prevent such alarming breaches. We are investigating the lapse on the part of the jawan and how these loopholes can be plugged, especially since in two years’ time, scores of well-trained Agniveers will be released from service,” the officer added.
The grenade thrown at Rozer Sandhu’s house did not explode.
The attack was linked to a broader conspiracy involving Pakistani gangster Shahzad Bhatti, who claimed responsibility, citing the YouTuber’s alleged derogatory remarks against the Muslim community.
A senior police officer said the incident raises serious concerns about internal security, as the jawan’s alleged role exposes potential vulnerabilities within the Army.
Punjab has witnessed a surge in grenade attacks—16 have been reported in the past seven months—targeting police posts, religious sites, and now residences of public figures like Sandhu and BJP leader Manoranjan Kalia.
These attacks are often attributed to Pakistan’s ISI, local gangs like that of Lawrence Bishnoi, and occasionally Babbar Khalsa International, all of whom seek to disrupt communal harmony.
While the Jalandhar police have not disclosed the motive behind the jawan’s alleged involvement or why he chose to assist the attackers, senior officers suggest possibilities including radicalisation, coercion, or financial inducement.
The motive remains under investigation.
Officials say the case underscores the urgent need for stricter vetting, monitoring, and counterintelligence within the defence forces—particularly in Punjab, where cross-border terror networks are known to exploit local grievances.
Col Pushpinder Singh and his son were allegedly assaulted by three Punjab Police SHOs in Patiala on March 13.
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