Jalandhar
In a breakthrough in the investigation into the improvised explosive device (IED) blast outside the Border Security Force (BSF) Punjab Frontier headquarters in Jalandhar earlier this month, the Jalandhar commissionerate police, in coordination with central agencies and the Delhi Police special cell, arrested two key accused allegedly involved in the conspiracy.
Senior officials privy to the investigation identified the accused as Anil Kumar, a resident of Uttar Pradesh currently residing in Amritsar, and Umar Deen, a taxi driver based in Zirakpur.
The arrests followed an intensive multi-state operation launched after investigators traced technical and digital evidence collected from the blast site, officials said. Police and central agency teams reportedly camped in rural areas of Uttar Pradesh for several days while tracking the suspects’ movement and communication trail, they added.
Anil was caught by the Delhi Police special cell last week and Umar Deen’s name cropped up during his interrogation, following which he was arrested on Thursday. Police said after the blast, Anil boarded a bus from Jalandhar to Delhi.
The case pertains to a blast that took place outside the BSF Punjab Frontier headquarters in Jalandhar around 8pm on May 5. The explosion ripped apart a delivery scooter parked near the complex and shattered windowpanes nearby, causing panic in the high-security zone. A second explosion occurred hours later that night around 11.15pm near the boundary wall of the Khasa army cantonment in Amritsar, where the impact dislodged a tin sheet.
Though no casualties were reported in either incident, the twin explosions raised serious security concerns, particularly because both targeted sensitive security establishments in Punjab.
{{/usCountry}}Though no casualties were reported in either incident, the twin explosions raised serious security concerns, particularly because both targeted sensitive security establishments in Punjab.
{{/usCountry}}The back-to-back blasts triggered a fierce political confrontation in the state, with chief minister Bhagwant Mann alleging the incidents are part of the BJP’s “election preparedness” in Punjab that goes to the polls early next year and the saffron party strongly hitting back, blaming the state government for intelligence and security failure.
According to senior officials, preliminary investigations revealed that an IED was planted inside a dustbin outside the BSF headquarters and detonated remotely using a SIM card-based triggering mechanism.
“The accused are being interrogated regarding their links with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence-sponsored radical modules, primarily operated through gangster Shahzad Bhatti,” a senior official associated with the probe said.
Investigators suspect the attacks were part of a larger conspiracy aimed at creating fear among the public and projecting instability in Punjab, especially on the anniversary of Operation Sindoor.
Officials revealed that the two accused allegedly operated independently and were assigned different responsibilities by Pakistan-based handlers.
“Umar Deen was tasked with planting the IED outside the BSF headquarters, while Anil travelled from Amritsar only to record the blast on video,” an official said.
Agencies reportedly recovered a video — allegedly shot from a location opposite the blast site — from Anil’s mobile phone.
Investigators further disclosed that Umar Deen was allegedly paid around ₹1 lakh for carrying out the operation.
Anil, according to police, worked as a construction labourer and lived in rented accommodation in Amritsar. Officials said preliminary investigations indicate that the explosives used in the blast may have been procured from an individual operating near the India-Pakistan border.
A joint operation involving Punjab Police and central agencies is still underway to identify and arrest other conspirators, including the suspected supplier of explosives and the handlers coordinating the operation from across the border.
Security agencies also examined footage from hundreds of CCTV cameras installed in Jalandhar and adjoining areas to reconstruct the movement of the accused before and after the blast.
Punjab director general of police Gaurav Yadav had earlier described the incident as part of a “proxy war” intended to disturb peace in the border state and create a narrative of insecurity.
The banned Khalistan Liberation Army (KLA) claimed responsibility for the Jalandhar blast through an unverified social media post. The outfit termed the attack as “revenge” for the encounter of Ranjit Singh, a key accused in the killing of security personnel in Gurdaspur.
Officials, however, said the authenticity of the claim is still being verified as part of the broader investigation.
Police registered a case under Sections 113 (terrorist acts), 109 (attempt to murder) and 61(2) (criminal conspiracy) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Explosive Substances Act and relevant provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
The blasts came amid continuing concerns over cross-border smuggling of explosives, weapons and narcotics through drones and sleeper modules allegedly backed by Pakistan-based terror outfits and organised crime syndicates.
In recent years, Punjab Police and central agencies have repeatedly flagged attempts by foreign-based handlers to revive militant activity in the state using local operatives and gang networks.
Officials said more disclosures are expected as interrogation of the accused continues and agencies work to establish the complete terror network behind the attack.