E-Paper
In Punjab train track blast, a Khalistani link under lens after viral letter says ‘this was just a trailer’
Viral letter by KZF says group chose to target freight train to “avoid undue loss”, asserting they could have targeted a passenger train instead
Security agencies in Punjab are investigating, among other leads, a potential Khalistani separatist link to an explosion that damaged a railway track and a freight train engine near Sirhind, after a purported letter from a banned group surfaced on social media, HT has learnt.
The blast, which occurred on Friday night just days before Republic Day, has triggered significant concerns regarding a coordinated sabotage attempt aimed at disrupting peace in the region, officials said.
The explosion took place at approximately 9:50 pm on Friday near the Khanpur railway crossing in Fatehgarh Sahib district. The force of the blast was sufficient to destroy a three-to-four-foot stretch of the newly built dedicated freight corridor (DFC), and damage the engine of a passing train.
A safety officer and the loco pilot sustained minor injuries and were provided medical assistance. Local residents in Khanpur village reported hearing a "loud sound" that caused immediate panic across the area.
Police sources have indicated to HT that a purported letter being circulated on social media in the name of the Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) is among the angles being probed. The letter, issued in the name of the group’s "chief sevadar" Ranjit Singh Jammu, claims responsibility for the Sirhind blast.
According to the letter, written in Punjabi, the explosion was intended as a "trailer" to mark the 40th anniversary of the "Khalistan declaration". It further claimed that the group chose to target a freight train to “avoid undue loss”, asserting they could have targeted a passenger train instead. The letter warned that their "struggle" would continue to "disturb the sleep" of the authorities until their goals were met.
Multi-agency probe launched
Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Ropar range, Nanak Singh, who reached the site shortly after the incident, stated that inter-agency coordination is underway.
“Our teams have already started the investigation, and we have informed the National Investigation Agency (NIA),” Nanak Singh said. NIA and Intelligence Bureau officials are working with the state police, people familiar with the matter told HT.
While police officials have so far described the event as the “handiwork of some miscreants", they have noted it was too premature to confirm the specific nature of the explosives used.
Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Shubham Aggarwal confirmed that a First Information Report (FIR) has been registered under Section 150 of the Railways Act for ‘maliciously attempting to wreck a train’.
Heightened security ahead of Republic Day
The incident follows a series of activities allegedly by separatist elements. In Delhi, the police's Special Cell recently registered an FIR against Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a designated terrorist leading the banned Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), for threatening to create unrest ahead of January 26. Pannun claimed his "sleeper cells" had been activated in the national capital.
Also, the Indian government recently condemned an act of "vandalism and trespassing” at its embassy in Zagreb, Croatia, where some people reportedly replaced the Indian flag with a separatist flag.
In Sirhind, repair work was carried out on a war-footing overnight, and the damaged track was restored by early Saturday morning, officials said. Security remains high across Punjab.
