A bomb went off in the district court complex here on Thursday, killing one person and injuring six others, prompting the Punjab government to declare a high alert in the state.
Police suspect that the man killed in the blast in the second-floor toilet was trying to assemble or plant the explosive device.As forensic teams and specialised agencies were being summoned to the blast site, Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi expressed apprehension that the explosion might have been an attempt to create “anarchy” in the poll-bound state.
The Union Home Ministry has sought a detailed report from the state government as early as possible. It also wanted to be informed about the findings of the initial investigations.The blast wrecked a wall of the bathroom, leaving a pile of rubble. Windowpanes in adjoining rooms and windscreens of some cars parked below were smashed. There was panic in the busy court complex.Local MLA Balwinder Singh Bains was in a lawyer’s chamber on the third floor when the explosion took place. Some people thought a cooking gas cylinder had burst, other said it was a “blast”, he told a TV channel.
Officials said the six people, including three women, injured in the explosion were out of danger.CM Channi, accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu, visited a hospital in Ludhiana to meet the injured.He also summoned a meeting later in the day in Chandigarh.The blast comes days after the alleged sacrilege bids – at the Golden Temple in Amritsar and a gurdwara in Kapurthala – followed by the lynching of unidentified two men.Over the past months, there have also been cases of drones being spotted near the Pakistan border, with authorities suspecting that they could have dropped arms or explosives.
Channi expressed fear that an attempt was being made to spread anarchy in Punjab ahead of the state assembly polls.“Our police are capable of maintaining law and order,” he said.”But which agencies which are trying to disturb Punjab’s peace will become clear as investigations are on.” Earlier, he told reporters in Chandigarh, “As elections near, some anti-national and anti-state forces are trying to commit such disgusting acts, and for this the government is alert and the people should also be alert,” he said.He also suggested that the blast could be linked to action against “drug traffickers”, mentioning also the case against Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia.Deputy CM Randhawa, who is also the state’s home minister, said some “external forces” could be trying to destabilise Punjab, and alluded to Pakistan.Punjab has been put on high alert, he said.
Several advocates complained of lax security arrangements at the complex, and Randhawa said more metal detectors will be installed there.Asked if it could be a human bomb or a fidayeen suicide attack, the minister said nothing can be ruled out. A DNA test will be conducted on the unidentified man found dead at the blast site, he added.CCTV footage will also be examined, he said.Ludhiana Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said the area has been sealed and forensic teams will collect samples from the site.Initial reports said two people were killed, but police later clarified that only one man had died.
Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu said the alleged sacrilege attempts and the blast were attempts to polarise “a particular community” in the state.Former chief minister Amarinder Singh said he was saddened after hearing that two people had died. “PunjabPoliceInd must get to the bottom of this,” he tweeted.Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal expressed shock. “Pb govt must focus on law & order instead of political vendetta to ensure peace & communal harmony in State,” he said in a tweet.The Aam Aadmi Party called it a “conspiracy” and said the Channi government had “completely failed” in maintaining law and order in the state.
CM CHANNI TERMS LUDHIANA BOMB BLAST AS SHOCKING AND DASTARDLY ACT
Terming the Ludhiana bomb blast incident as the most shocking and dastardly act, the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Charanjit Singh Channi on Thursday said that forces inimical to vitiate the peaceful atmosphere in the state would never succeed in their nefarious designs with a sole motive to destabilize the state.
Condemning this unfortunate and tragic incident, CM Channi categorically said that everybody knows the timing and the handiwork of those forces, as the assembly polls are drawing nearer with every passing day, which were hell bent upon to hatch such conspiracies to disturb the hard earned peace and harmony in the state. He said, “It is the need of the hour to condemn such incidents in the harshest possible words by one and all.”Giving directions to the Police authorities to carry on a detailed investigation to get into bottom of this cowardly and inhuman act, CM Channi reiterated his firm commitment to book the perpetrators of this heinous crime and give them an exemplary punishment as a deterrent for others not to commit such crime in future. CM Channi said that any such attempt to disturb the law and order situation in the state will be dealt with sternly.Connecting the sequence of unfortunate attempt of recent incident of sacrilege at Sri Harmandir Sahib and now the bomb blast in Ludhiana court complex at this juncture, CM Channi said that all this indicates to several forces actively involved to create disturbances in the border state for their vested interests. He said that people of Punjab must remain vigilant to curb the unholy designs of such forces threatening the very ethos of communal harmony, peace, brotherhood and amity.Making his firm resolve, CM Channi said that Punjab government would soon give a befitting reply to such anti-social forces adding these would not be allowed to create a bogey of terror to traumatize the innocent people in wake of forthcoming assembly elections.
Envisaging wholehearted support and cooperation from the people, the Chief Minister appealed them to exercise restraint in this hour of crisis besides helping the state civil and police administration in maintaining law and order.
Governor Punjab condemns bomb blast
Expressing deep anguish over the loss of life of two civilians in the blast that rocked the Court Complex Ludhiana early in the afternoon, Shri Banwarilal Purohit Governor Punjab and Administrator U.T. Chandigarh said, “It is a very disturbing and unfortunate incident; I express my condolence to the families of the deceased and pray for the speedy recovery of all the injured.” “I condemn this terrible act of violence which has killed two civilians in the heart of the city,” said he and called upon people to maintain calm. Such anti-social act should not disrupt peace, harmony and brotherhood in the State; let us stand by each other till the guilty are brought to task, said he.
