Low-intensity blast on Amritsar-Delhi line in Punjab triggers security concerns; no casualty

With Republic Day round the corner, a low-intensity blast was reported near the Sirhind railway section in Punjab’s Fatehgarh Sahib district around 10 pm on Friday, while a goods train was passing through the track, triggering concern, speculation, and panic among sections of the public.

There was no loss of life or property in the incident, while the railway track sustained minor damage, which has since been repaired, confirmed Fatehgarh Sahib Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Shubham Agrawal on Saturday. Railways has resumed services on the route, he said.

The explosion occurred on a railway track meant for Amritsar–Delhi goods trains, located far from Sirhind railway station, while a railway foot-plating vehicle was moving from Mandi Gobindgarh towards Sirhind near Khanpur village, the police said.

He said the train’s glass pane was damaged, and the locomotive pilot sustained minor injuries.

SSP Agrawal said that immediately after receiving information, teams from Fatehgarh Sahib district police, Government Railway Police (GRP), Railway Protection Force (RPF), and forensic units reached the spot. An FIR has been registered, and further investigation is underway.

Investigation teams are probing the case in depth, and the culprits will soon be behind bars, he said.

Clarifying the situation, Fatehgarh Sahib district police said that reports suggesting serious injuries or major damage were factually incorrect. The police confirmed that Anil Sharma, Safety Officer with the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation (DFCC), sustained a minor cut on his cheek, while other staff remained safe.

DIG Nanak Singh, who visited the site soon after the incident, said the police are investigating all possible angles. “We cannot rule out the role of anti-social elements in this incident. It is a criminal activity. However, it would be too early to link it to any terrorist activity as the investigation is still underway,” he said.

DIG Singh added that coordination with other investigating agencies is also underway. “We want to assure people that the police are actively pursuing the matter and maintaining close vigil,” he added.

Despite police assurances, the incident has raised concerns over the law and order situation in Punjab, especially at a time when the state police are running an intensive campaign against gangsters and anti-social elements.

Since last December, several schools in Punjab and even court complexes in Ludhiana, Sri Muktsar Sahib, and other areas received several hoax bomb threat emails, though no untoward incident has occurred so far.

Sources revealed that unidentified persons may have detonated the explosive device on the track on Friday afternoon, hours before the goods train passed through the section.

Sharp political reactions

The incident has also sparked sharp criticism from Opposition parties. Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, in a post on X, said, “RDX near railway tracks, blasts in public spaces—this isn’t random crime. These are deliberate attempts to destabilise Punjab and spread fear. The real question: who benefits from chaos, and why is the state failing to stop it?”

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal also expressed shock and concern in the matter.

“Deeply worried and shocked by the reported RDX blast on the railway line near Sirhind, Punjab. Such incidents are alarming and threaten the peace and security that was restored after decades of turmoil. My thoughts and prayers are with the affected. I pray for the swift recovery of the injured,” he posted on X.

‘Deteriorating law and order in Punjab’

He alleged that the incident is a stark indicator of the deteriorating law and order situation in Punjab under the current Aam Aadmi Party government led by Bhagwant Mann. “The repeated failure to curb such brazen attacks is unacceptable and demands urgent accountability.

Notably, this incident took place two days before Republic Day, when the AAP government was boasting of carrying out a massive campaign against notorious elements. Under this AAP government, Punjab has seen several high-profile attacks in the past using rocket-propelled grenade( RPGs)  and similar weapons targeting police and intelligence facilities, including: –RPG attack on the Punjab Police Intelligence Headquarters in Mohali – RPG attack on a police station in Tarn Taran. The Chief Minister must take immediate and decisive action to restore confidence, or he should step down immediately,” he said.

Punjab deserves peace, not repeated incidents that evoke memories of darker times, he reiterated.