Accused, who allegedly threw grenade in Amritsar attack case, arrested

Police have already arrested Bikramjit Singh, an operative of militant organisation Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) who was allegedly driving the motorcycle on that day. It is alleged that Avtar Singh, the second person to be arrested in the case, threw the grenade.

Punjab police on Saturday claimed to have nabbed the man who allegedly threw a grenade on a religious congregation at Nirankari Bhavan in Amritsar last Sunday leaving three persons dead, the second arrest in the case.

Members of the Nirankari spiritual group stand outside a building following the grenade attack at the Nirankari Satsang Bhawan centre, at Adliwal village, near Rajasansi, Amritsar on November 18. (HT File Photo)

Weapons including a .32 bore pistol, a US made pistol, four magazines and 25 live cartridges have been recovered from the accused identified as Avtar Singh, Director General of Police Suresh Arora told reporters in Chandigarh.

“Avtar Singh has been arrested from Khayala village under police station Lopoke (in Amritsar),” the DGP said.

“We will produce him before the court for police remand,” the DGP said.

Three persons including a preacher were killed and over 20 injured in the attack by two-motorcycle borne men which the police treated as a “terrorist act”.

Police have already arrested Bikramjit Singh, an operative of militant organisation Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) who was allegedly driving the motorcycle on that day. It is alleged that Avtar Singh threw the grenade.

Avtar Singh is a resident of village Chak Mishri Khan, Lopoke (Ajnala), Amritsar.

The DGP said that initial investigations revealed that a person identified as Javed, who is Pakistan-based, was allegedly involved in misguiding the accused to carry out the “terrorist act”. The name of another man identified as Paramajit Singh Baba, based in Italy, has also emerged during investigation, police said.

Rejecting claims of the families of the accused that they have been falsely implicated, the DGP said, “We have enough evidence against them.” “We do not believe in false implications. We have recovered weapons in the presence of the duty magistrate,” he said.

The DGP also expressed concern that “inimical forces were trying to spread a disinformation campaign” on social media to misguide youth of the state.

Both the accused in this case had no past criminal record, he noted.

The incident had taken place inside the Nirankari Bhavan’s prayer hall at Adliwal village near Amritsar’s Rajasansi.