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Pakistan's ISI-backed terror module behind Punjab BJP HQ blast, 5 held: Police
Punjab Police arrested five members of a terror module linked to the April 1 grenade attack on BJP HQ; two main suspects remain at large
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The counter-intelligence wing of the Punjab Police, in coordination with the Chandigarh Police, on Saturday solved the April 1 grenade attack on the BJP headquarters in Sector 37 on Saturday.
“Five members of a terror module have been arrested, while the two primary perpetrators have been identified,” said director general of police Gaurav Yadav.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Balwinder Lal alias Shami of Majari village in SBS Nagar, Jasvir Singh alias Jassi of Bharapur village in SBS Nagar, Charanjit Singh alias Channi of Sujawalpur village in SBS Nagar, Rubal Chauhan of Thana village in Shimla and Mandeep alias Abhijot Sharma of Dhuri in Sangrur.
Two accused who hurled grenade at the BJP headquarters named Gurtej Singh and Amanpreet Singh still remain at large.
One hand grenade and 15 live .30-bore cartridges have been recovered. Police teams are conducting operations to nab the absconding accused, the DGP added. Preliminary investigation indicates that Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) backed the module, which operated under the direct instructions of handlers based in Portugal and Germany. “This operation has effectively foiled a major terror conspiracy aimed at disrupting peace and harmony in the region. Efforts are ongoing to apprehend the main accused involved in the case,” said DGP Yadav.
Police specifically identified Portugal-based handler Baljot Singh, alias Jot, as the coordinator for the delivery of weapons and the execution of the strike. The accused were part of a structured network that utilised a sophisticated system of multiple cutouts and sub-modules to mask the attackers’ trail, added the DGP.
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The investigation revealed that the accused transported a consignment of hand-grenades, firearms, and cartridges through several operatives before it reached the final executors. Specialised police units are currently conducting raids across several locations to apprehend the absconding duo and trace the terror network’s broader supply chain.
The explosion occurred around 5 pm on Wednesday when a suspected crude explosive device was hurled near the office, officials had said. No casualties were reported. An unverified video that surfaced on social media showed a man pulling the pin from a blue-coloured grenade and throwing it, while another person recording the act. The duo is seen fleeing just moments before the blast. Their faces were not visible in the 10-second video, and the authenticity of the footage has yet to be verified. CCTV camera recordings also captured suspects running across the road immediately after the explosion. In a separate unverified social media post, attributed to Sukhjinder Singh Babbar of the banned Babbar Khalsa International, the outfit had claimed responsibility for the incident.
AIG State Special Operations Cell (SSOC) SAS Nagar Deepak Pareek said the investigation has further revealed that the arrested accused had transported a consignment containing hand grenades, arms and live cartridges. The consignment was circulated through multiple operatives before being handed over to the final executors, he said.
The AIG said that acting on the directions of Portugal-based handler, the arrested accused persons coordinated the delivery and execution of the attack. Police teams are conducting raids to apprehend the absconding perpetrators involved in the attack, he added.
