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Jalalabad grenade attack: Fazilka police arrest 2, Pak link under probe
The arrested accused have been identified as Gurpreet Singh, a resident of Basti Hazara Ram Singh in the Jalalabad area, and Manpreet Singh, a resident of Ghubaya.
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The Fazilka police on Monday claimed to have cracked the grenade attack on the Jalalabad police station with the arrest of two suspects within hours of the incident, as investigators probed a possible cross-border link and a wider network allegedly involved in the incident.
The arrested accused have been identified as Gurpreet Singh, a resident of Basti Hazara Ram Singh in the Jalalabad area, and Manpreet Singh, a resident of Ghubaya.
Deputy inspector general (DIG), Ferozepur Range, Snehdeep Sharma, said the preliminary investigation points to the involvement of Pakistan-based elements.
“Police teams are now examining the communication links, digital footprints and other technical evidence of the arrested accused to establish the extent of the cross-border connection,” said the DIG.
The grenade was hurled at the police station at around 2am on Saturday and exploded near the main gate, damaging vehicles parked inside the premises No one was injured, though the blast shattered the windshields and window panes of several vehicles.
Police had registered a case under Sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Explosive Substances Act against unidentified persons and launched a multi-pronged investigation.
“Several teams were constituted and technical as well as field inputs were examined. The teams remained engaged throughout the night and the following day, leading to the identification and arrest of two accused,” Sharma said while accompanied by Fazilka senior superintendent of police (SSP) Gagan Ajit Singh.
Police said two other persons who allegedly supplied the material used in the attack have also been identified. “Raids are being conducted at different locations to apprehend them. Investigators are also trying to establish the complete chain through which the grenade reached the arrested suspects, its source and the precise role played by each person in the alleged network,” Sharma said.
Officials privy to the probe said police had obtained leads about the source of the explosive material but were withholding details to avoid compromising the investigation.
Police are examining the suspects’ communication records, digital evidence and other technical inputs to determine whether they were in contact with handlers or other elements across the border and to establish the alleged network.
Officials said the precise nature of the Pakistan link would become further clearer after detailed technical analysis and interrogation of the arrested suspects.
The two accused are expected to be produced before a court on Tuesday, where police will seek their remand for further questioning.
Officials said the investigation remains underway, with police conducting raids and analysing technical evidence.
