FIR in the matter was already registered at Baghapurana police station under the sections 323 and 427 of IPC and 3 & 4 of the Explosives Act.

A local made explosive device that went off in Moga earlier this week injuring one person had been planted by two brothers with a motive to kill a business rival, a police official Saturday said. The brothers duo, who have been arrested with their accomplice, had made the bomb based on a YouTube tutorial.

On the evening of June 30, a desi bomb went off outside a shop in the market near SBI Bank on Kotkapura road of Baghapurana after a courier boy sat on it. He was injured in hand.

Addressing a press conference, Moga SSP Harmanbir Singh Gill said that the conspiracy was hatched by Sandeep Kumar, his brother Manoj and their accomplice Anoop Kumar — all from Kothi Sainian of Kotkapura of Faridkot. They wanted to kill one Raju of Baba Jeewan Singh Nagar of Baghapurana due to business rivalry’.

SSP Gill said that Sandeep used to work at Raju’s shop in Baghapurana and sell ‘kulchey’. However, Raju later sacked Sandeep. After being sacked, Sandeep set up his own cart selling kulchey in the same market. Later, Raju and his brother Ajay installed two more carts near Sandeep’s cart due to which Sandeep’s started suffering losses.

SSP said that in a fit of rage, Sandeep decided to kill him by planting a ‘bomb’. He also allegedly involved his brother Manoj and another accomplice Anoop in the crime. Based on a YouTube tutorial, Sandeep purchased raw materials including pipes, wires, crackers, a 12 volt battery of a motorbike, and release button of a refrigerator and after processing it, allegedly got contraption welded at a shop in Baghapurana.

Later, he covered it with a mixture of cement and sand to give it the shape of a ’tile’. Anoop planted the bomb near Raju’s shop shutter at around 4 am on June 30. They assumed that it will explode when Raju opens the shop, killing him at the spot, said police. However, while opening his shop, Raju picked up the ’tile’ and threw it aside. It exploded in the evening on the same day when the courier boy sat on it while smoking.

SSP said all three accused have been arrested. FIR in the matter was already registered at Baghapurana police station under the sections 323 and 427 of IPC and 3 & 4 of the Explosives Act.