Punjab: Another blast near Army camp, DGP sees Pakistan hand

Amritsar (Rural) Senior Superintendent of Police Suhail Mir Qasim said preliminary inspection indicated that someone had thrown an explosive device towards the boundary wall of the Army camp, leading to the explosion. A piece of a tin sheet covering the boundary wall fell off due to impact of the blast.

Amritsar (Rural) SP Aditya S Warrier, said a team of Army officials also inspected the spot and assessed the situation.

Meanwhile, a group identifying itself as the Khalistan Liberation Army (KLA) claimed responsibility through a social media post for the Jalandhar blast outside. In the purported post, it described the blast as part of “Operation Nawa Savair” and issued threats against senior BSF officials, including DIG Sandeep Goyal. DGP Yadav said “we are verifying” the claim, but added that the KLA is a non-existent organisation and an “ISI stooge”.

In Jalandhar, a delivery package placed on a two-wheeler parked outside the BSF headquarters exploded, setting the vehicle on fire.

Dhanpreet Kaur, Commissioner, Jalandhar police, said the vehicle belonged to Gurpreet Singh, who had come to deliver a parcel at the BSF complex.

DGP Yadav termed both the blasts as of “low intensity”. On Amritsar incident, he said that while no group has claimed responsibility, but it appears to be the handiwork of Pakistan’s ISI.

“We assume that, as today is the Operation Sindoor anniversary, this is part of Pakistan’s ISI designs to cause disruptions in Punjab,” he said, adding: “A handful of elements want to disturb the atmosphere at the behest Pakistan’s ISI. We will crush such elements…”

The exact nature of the explosion and the device used will be determined pending forensic examination, the DGP said, adding that investigations are being conducted from all angles.

He said that shrapnel from an improvised explosive device (IED) was found at the explosion site in Amritsar 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.

The DGP said investigations are being conducted in close coordination with the army and other agencies. 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 said, “We are living in a state of proxy war… Punjab is a frontline state and is fighting the nation’s war.”

On 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.