Punjab Police on Sunday claimed to have averted a possible terror attack in the border state with the arrest of two persons and recovery of an explosive device packed with around 1.5 kg of RDX in a village in Tarn Taran district.
The improvised explosive device (IED), packed in a metallic black colour box and having a gross weight of over 2.5 kg, was also equipped with a timer, detonator, battery and shrapnels, police said.
The recovery came three days after four gangsters, having links with a Khalistani terrorist, were arrested and several explosives, arms and ammunition were recovered from their vehicle at a toll plaza in Karnal by Haryana Police following inputs from the Intelligence Bureau and Punjab Police.
Acting on specific inputs, Baljinder Singh alias Bindu (22) of Gujjarpura village and Jagtar Singh alias Jagga (40) of Khanowal village in Ajnala sub-division of Amritsar district were arrested when they were roaming around on a motorcycle in Naushehra Pannuan village with the explosive, on Sunday, additional director general of police (ADGP) (internal security) R N Dhoke said.
{{/usCountry}}Acting on specific inputs, Baljinder Singh alias Bindu (22) of Gujjarpura village and Jagtar Singh alias Jagga (40) of Khanowal village in Ajnala sub-division of Amritsar district were arrested when they were roaming around on a motorcycle in Naushehra Pannuan village with the explosive, on Sunday, additional director general of police (ADGP) (internal security) R N Dhoke said.
{{/usCountry}}The accused had reportedly retrieved the explosive from an abandoned building in the village and were planning to carry out a blast to spread terror among people in the area, the ADGP added.
While Bindu works as a nursing assistant at a private hospital in Ajnala, Jagga is a labourer.
Initial probe revealed that the duo had picked up the explosive from the abandoned building on the instruction of one Jobanjit Singh alias Joban, a resident of Awan Vasau in Ajnala, senior superintendent of police Ranjit Singh. Johan is already facing criminal cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and has been declared a Proclaimed Offender (PO), he added.
Police suspect the IED may have been transported with the help of a drone from Pakistan.
“Preliminary investigation suggests that the IED might have been flown through a drone from Pakistan. Our teams are also working to nab those who had kept the IED at the abandoned building,” a senior official said, seeking anonymity.
The IED was later defused by a bomb disposal squad, deputy superintendent of police Dev Dutt said.
A case under the Arms Act, Explosive Substance (Amendment) Act and Indian Penal Code (IPC) was registered at Sarhali Police Station in Tarn Taran.