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Jalandhar attack: Main accused who lobbed grenade at Kalia’s house arrested in Delhi
On April 7, a hand grenade was hurled at Manoranjan Kalia’s residence by some persons, shattering glass panes and damaging vehicles although no one was injured in the blast; main accused Saidul Ameen was seen in a CCTV footage procured from the railway station in Jalandhar after the blast, police said
Punjab Police in a joint coordinated operation with Delhi Police and central agencies arrested the main perpetrator involved in a grenade attack at the residence of Punjab BJP leader Manoranjan Kalia, Punjab director general of police Gaurav Yadav said on Saturday.
The DGP said police followed the CCTV trail to nab the accused and launched an operation which spanned Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi.
DGP Yadav said the prime accused, who lobbed a hand grenade at Kalia’s residence, has been identified as Saidul Ameen and has been arrested from New Delhi with assistance from Delhi police and central agencies.
“Saidul was apprehended from Delhi after an intensive multi-state manhunt. This arrest is a testament to the seamless coordination between Punjab Police, Central Agencies, and Delhi Police in dismantling terror networks. A resident of Amroha in Uttar Pradesh, Saidul, was on the run since a grenade attack at Kalia’s house on the intervening night of April 6-7. Preliminary investigations had revealed a larger conspiracy orchestrated by Pakistan’s ISI to disrupt communal harmony in Punjab,” Yadav said. The DGP later met Kalia at his residence.
On April 7, a hand grenade was hurled at Kalia’s residence by some persons, shattering glass panes and damaging vehicles. No one was injured in the blast. The e-rickshaw used in the crime was also recovered.
Ameen was seen in a CCTV footage procured from the railway station in Jalandhar after the blast, police said.
The development came close on the heels of the arrest of two local associates identified as Satish alias Kaka of Bhargo camp and his cousin Ravinder Kumar alias Harry of Garha road in Jalandhar, who provided logistical support to accused Saidul Ameen.
The duo has been sent to six-day police custody and their interrogation revealed that the main accused made the payment of ₹3,500 through a UPI transaction.“The Punjab Police teams have already stationed at the national capital to bring the accused back to Jalandhar for further investigation,” Yadav added.Police have claimed that the plot was masterminded by Zeeshan Akhtar, a close associate of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and Pakistan-based ISI-sponsored gangster Shahzad Bhatti. The role of Pakistan-based Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) is also being probed.
The DGP said that the ongoing probe has also revealed the financial link with the executors of the grenade attack. “The role of the Haryana-based accused identified as Abhijot, who was arrested by the Haryana Police on Friday after an exchange of fire in Kurukshetra, has also come under the light,” the DGP said. “During the investigation, it came to the fore that Abhijot provided financial support to the main accused Ameen. Police will bring him on a production warrant for further investigations,” he said.
Jalandhar Commissionerate Police will bring him on production warrant for further investigations, he added.
“Further investigations are ongoing to uncover handlers, financial backers, and potential foreign connections linked to the attack,” DGP said, adding “The investigation is on and we are not ruling out involvement of more persons in this case.”
The Jalandhar police have already added section 113 of the Terrorist Act of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in the already registered FIR. The initial FIR was registered under sections 109 (attempt to murder), 324(3) (mischief-causing damage to the property) and 61(2) (criminal conspiracy) of the BNS and sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Explosive Substances Act.
Punjab has witnessed at least 16 grenade attacks in the past seven months. In most cases, police installations have been targeted.
