The National Investigation Agency is investigating recent blasts in Punjab's Jalandhar and Amritsar. Congress leaders have raised concerns, suspecting election-related conspiracies. Police are probing the Amritsar blast with no casualties reported.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday morning moved to secure forensic evidence and gather information from the sites of the recent blast in Punjab. The team will assist state authorities in investigating the explosion, the sources said.
According to the sources, the National Investigation Agency teams are currently en route to the blast sites in Jalandhar and Amritsar, where they are expected to arrive shortly to gather information and assist the Punjab Police in the investigation.
Political Reactions to Blasts
Meanwhile, expressing suspicion over the timing of the incidents, Congress leader Raj Kumar told ANI, "All this is happening because elections are about to take place in the state. This area comes under the central government. Neither the central nor the state government is able to control the situation here. I think there is a conspiracy to rig the elections in Punjab..."
LoP in the Punjab assembly and Senior Congress leader Partap Bajwa said, "Back-to-back blasts in a single day cannot be brushed aside as coincidence, first Jalandhar and then Amritsar. The Punjab government must act swiftly to identify and bring to justice those behind these incidents. At a time when several conspiracy theories are circulating and fear is spreading among the general public, the administration cannot afford silence or complacency. Punjab has already been grappling with serious challenges like youth unemployment and lack of opportunities. Any attempt to disturb peace and stability will only deepen the sense of uncertainty among our people. Punjab cannot afford another phase of instability. Maintaining law and order and restoring public confidence must be the government's top priority."
Investigation Underway in Amritsar
On Wednesday, Amritsar police restricted public movement in certain areas to investigate the nature of a sudden blast reported in Khasa near the cantonment area in Amritsar on Tuesday.
Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Karam Singh, while speaking to ANI, said, "I got to know that an explosion has taken place here. We'll close the road for surveillance."
Expressing fear over the potential disruption of peace, Punjab Congress President and MP Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, in a post on X, wrote, "Back-to-back blasts have shaken Punjab. Yesterday in Jalandhar, and now near Khasa Camp in Amritsar -- this is deeply alarming. Who is trying to destabilise our state? Why has the Punjab Government failed to prevent such incidents? What is the Government of India doing? Repeated lapses point to a serious breakdown of intelligence and security. Punjab's peace cannot be compromised. We demand accountability and immediate action."
Details of the Amritsar Blast
On Tuesday, a blast occured in Khasa near the cantonment area in Amritsar at around 10:50 pm, prompting a swift response from police and security agencies. No casualties were reported.
Speaking to ANI, SP Aditya S. Warrier said police received information about the suspected blast, and senior officers immediately rushed to the spot along with the army personnel stationed in the cantonment area. The Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) was called to conduct a thorough inspection. The Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team collected samples and evidence from the site.
The collected material was sent for analysis to determine the nature and cause of the incident. Amritsar SP Aditya Warrior told ANI, "At around 10.50 pm, the police received a complaint about a sound of a blast near Khassa cantonment... The police team reached the spot along with the senior officials of the army residing in the cantonment. The BDS team was also called, which conducted a check there. The FSL team gathered the evidence, and it has been sent for sampling and testing. We are checking how many blasts have occurred and how."
Preliminary investigation is underway, and further details are awaited. (ANI)
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