Daijiworld Media Network - Chandigarh
Chandigarh, Apr 6: In a major breakthrough, the counter-intelligence wing of Punjab Police, in a joint operation with Chandigarh Police and Haryana Police, has arrested the two main accused involved in the grenade attack outside the BJP office in Sector 37 on April 1, taking the total number of arrests to seven, Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said on Sunday.
The arrested accused from Rewari have been identified as Gurtej Singh and Amanpreet Singh, both residents of Rattangarh in Rupnagar district. Police said the duo was attempting to flee to Nepal when they were apprehended. Amanpreet Singh has a criminal background, with previous cases of theft and snatching registered in Mohali and Bilaspur in Himachal Pradesh.
Investigations revealed that Gurtej, Amanpreet and another accused, Mandeep, had been working as bike taxi drivers in Chandigarh, which helped them gain familiarity with city routes and escape plans.
Earlier, five other members of the terror module were arrested, including Balwinder Lal alias Shami, Jasvir Singh alias Jassi, Charanjit Singh alias Channi, Rubal Chauhan and Mandeep alias Abhijot Sharma. Police said Rubal Chauhan, a student in a Chandigarh-based college, got involved through personal contacts and was tasked with picking up the grenade from Ropar.
Security agencies recovered one hand grenade and a .30-bore Zigana pistol from the accused. Preliminary investigations indicate the involvement of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence, with the module allegedly operating under directions from handlers based in Portugal and Germany.
DGP Yadav said the accused were in contact with foreign-based handlers identified as Baljot Singh alias Jot in Portugal and Harjeet Singh Laadi in Germany, and were promised ?2 lakh for executing the attack. The network reportedly used multiple sub-modules and cutouts to plan and carry out the operation.
During questioning, Gurtej Singh disclosed that he had come in contact with a foreign handler around six months ago through social media. Acting on instructions, Gurtej, along with co-accused Rubal Chauhan and Mandeep, collected arms and explosives from Jasvir Singh on March 28. Later, Amanpreet Singh was roped in to execute the attack.
On April 1, after conducting a recce, Amanpreet allegedly hurled the grenade while Gurtej recorded the act on his mobile phone as instructed by handlers. Both fled the spot immediately after the explosion.
The blast occurred around 5 pm outside the BJP office, triggering panic in the area, though no casualties were reported. CCTV footage captured suspects fleeing moments after the explosion. A video circulating on social media, showing a man throwing a grenade while another records it, is yet to be officially verified.
In a separate unverified social media post, Sukhjinder Singh Babbar of the banned outfit Babbar Khalsa International claimed responsibility for the attack.