Punjab: Pak-backed Khalistani terrorists behind Ludhiana court blast, reveal Intelligence agencies
They also said that the Punjab government has been ignoring alerts and standard operating procedures (SOPs) on countering terror and extremist activities in the state.
FollowAs per intelligence agencies, the blast at the Ludhiana court complex on Thursday that killed one person and injured at least five others was carried out by Khalistani terrorists using local gangsters. The agencies said a Khalistan-supported group backed by Pakistan’s ISI might be behind the planning and execution of the Ludhiana court blast.
They also said that the Punjab government has been ignoring alerts and standard operating procedures (SOPs) on countering terror and extremist activities in the state.
A senior officer said that after the Red Fort incident, intelligence agencies were on their toes in Punjab to keep a close watch on Khalistan forces trying to revive their movement. The handlers based in Pakistan were giving instructions to their on-ground workers to execute terror activities in Punjab. Many of such attempts were foiled in a joint operation with state police, he added.
“We got specific inputs regarding local gangs have been hired and radicalized to revive Khalistan movement that was backed by Pakistan's ISI. We shared these inputs with local police and an operation to conducted across the state to prepare a list of criminals out on bail or absconding. The recoveries made in the last few months were just tip of an iceberg,” said a senior police officer.
Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi said “anti-national forces are trying to spread anarchy in the state” as Assembly polls draw closer. Talking to reporters in Ludhiana, he said prima facie it appeared that the person who died in the incident was carrying the bomb. He said the body has not been removed from the site so that the crime scene is not tampered with.
“It seems there is an attempt to spread anarchy as the polls are nearing. Which forces, agencies or gangs are behind this… Investigation is on in the case and we will get to the bottom of it,” Channi said.
The blast reportedly took place at 12:22 pm inside a bathroom on the second floor of the building. The explosion damaged the walls of the bathroom and ripped through a section of the building, besides shattering glass in nearby rooms. The district court was crowded and functioning when the explosion took place.
A First Information Report has been filed against unknown people under various sections of the Explosives Act, Sedition, anti-terror law UAPA, murder and attempt to murder. A team of the National Investigation Agency or NIA investigated the blast site.
