The blast at the Ludhiana court on Thursday that killed one person and injured at least five others was meant to target the judiciary, top intelligence sources have told CNN-News18.
The attackers wanted to plant the bomb on the ground floor to cause maximum damage to the building and kill as many people as possible, they added. The explosive apparently went off while it was being fixed.
The initial probe indicates that the blast was carried out by Pakistan-based terror outfits through local gangsters, sources had earlier told CNN-News18.
The role of fugitive Harvinder Singh (aka Rinda Singh) in particular is under suspicion, they said. The gangster fled to Pakistan a few years ago and it is believed that he helped execute the attack with the help of his associates in Punjab.
Almost two to three kilograms of explosives were used for the blast, said the sources.
The law and order situation in the border state of Punjab has witnessed a seemingly sudden and rapid decline with assembly elections nearing, observers say.
A couple of incidents of alleged sacrilegious acts have been reported from important Sikh shrines, including the Golden Temple, followed by the suspects getting lynched.
Apart from the Ludhiana blast this week, two incidents of hand grenades being thrown were reported last month: one at a police station in Nawanshahr and another in front of Army Gate in Pathankot.
Instances of drone sightings at the border with Pakistan have gone up as well.
The situation has led to fears that things may get worse in the state with a turbulent past as the elections approach closer, say observers, especially as politicians try to use the adversities to their advantage.
Read all the Latest India News here
Comments
0 comment