NEW DELHI: Unexploded device detonated outside a temple in Amritsar around midnight when an individual on a motorcycle hurled an explosive device at it. The blast caused damage to part of the wall and shattered nearby window panels, although no injuries were reported, officials confirmed on Saturday. This incident marks the first attack on a temple in a series of explosions that have targeted police posts across Punjab over the past four months.
Amritsar Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar stated that the police were alerted to the incident around 2 am on Saturday by the temple priest. "We received the information at 2 am and swiftly arrived at the scene. A forensic team was promptly called, we reviewed the CCTV footage, and spoke with nearby residents. The situation indicates that Pakistan’s ISI is enticing our youth to incite unrest in Punjab," Commissioner Bhullar remarked.
According to some reports, the temple priest was inside and asleep at the time but escaped without injury. CCTV footage captured two unidentified individuals on a motorcycle who, after pausing for a few moments, hurled an explosive device at the temple before fleeing the area. Bhullar mentioned that police teams are in pursuit of the suspects and anticipate making arrests soon. "Our teams are tracking them. Just as we investigated previous incidents, we will also trace this one," he added. A forensic team has collected samples from the site to identify the type of explosive used.
"I wish to caution those behind this incident that they will be met with stringent consequences," Bhullar warned. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann asserted that there have been consistent attempts to distract Punjab, but the state police have responded swiftly to each incident. "Punjab is entirely safe in terms of law and order," he told reporters.
Opposition parties criticize AAP government
However, the blast has drawn significant criticism from opposition parties, including the Congress, BJP, and Shiromani Akali Dal. Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu condemned the attack, attributing it to the failure of the AAP government. "I unequivocally condemn the bomb attack on Thakur Dwara temple, Khandwala, in Amritsar. The AAP government has failed to prevent persistent bombings in the border city. The deteriorating law and order situation in Punjab is deeply concerning," Bittu expressed on X.
Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring also criticized the government, emphasizing that this incident involved a temple being targeted. "Another grenade attack has occurred in Amritsar, this time aimed at a temple in the Khandwala region. Fear pervades Punjab, and the populace genuinely feels unsafe. It is high time the @AAPPunjab government awakens from its slumber and takes action," Warring posted on X.
BJP National Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla held the AAP government accountable, stating that the law and order situation has deteriorated since they took office. In an interview with news agency ANI, he said, "Ever since the Aam Aadmi Party assumed power, the law and order situation has worsened. These grenade attacks have occurred in a coordinated manner, including those at police stations, while the police remain focused on safeguarding Arvind Kejriwal."
Senior Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia characterized the incident as a "failure of law and order."
