Ludhiana court blast: ‘Brave Punjabis shouldn’t fear such incidents’

Speaking to the media at Ludhiana after visiting the blast site, Channi said, “Punjabis are ones who have given their lives for the country’s independence, so they should not fear anything. Kayi vaar ladaiyaan ladiyaan.. atankwaad de samay vich vi langhey hai, eh apne vaaste koi bahut badi gall nahi hai.. (We have fought many such battles and have seen terrorism era so such incidents are not a big deal for us). But such incidents will be controlled, no one will be allowed to disturb the peace of Punjab. None will be spared,” said Channi.

Channi also addressed a public rally at Mullanpur Dakha in Ludhiana district Thursday after the blast and announced sub-division status for Mullanpur Dakha named after martyr Kartar Singh Sarabha, besides ITI college for Latala, developmental works worth Rs 5 crore and Government degree college for Sidhwan Bet.

Punjab deputy CM and home minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa who also visited the spot and met injured persons at DMCH, said that ‘it was a clear conspiracy’ ahead of Punjab polls to disturb peace in the state. “Efforts are on to identify the body recovered from the spot. DNA of the body will be conducted to establish its identity,” said Randhawa. He added that nothing can be ruled out including ‘suicide bomb’ attack till probe wasn’t concluded. He added that a high alert has been sounded across Punjab and being the border state, attempts are being made to ‘destabilize’ Punjab’s peace ahead of polls.

Questioned about security arrangements at the court complex, Randhawa said that there was shortage of PCR personnel (police control room) and security at court complexes across Punjab would be revamped soon. “We will soon sanction an amount of Rs 17 crore for security arrangements at court complexes. We need to enhance PCR security,” he said. Questioned about non-functional metal detectors at court complexes, Randhawa said all issues will be fixed soon. Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu who also visited Ludhiana later in the evening to meet injured persons, said, ‘The blast in Ludhiana court leaves no doubt that a series of peace-disturbing activities have been planned by vested interests to create law and order problem in Punjab. The spirit of Punjab and Punjabiyat is being challenged on the grounds of caste, class and religion for political reasons targeting the innocent. It is now even more important for people of Punjab to put up a united front and fight fearlessly.”

Cabinet minister and Ludhiana West MLA Bharat Bhushan Ashu said that a ‘pattern’ was being observed. He also raised a question mark on security arrangements at the court complex. “There is an effort to disturb peace in Punjab but we need to wait for the probe to conclude. Police security lapse at the court complex also needs to be looked into. How did the person who was carrying the explosive managed to enter the court complex? It is being suspected by the police that the person who has been found dead was carrying the explosives but only a probe would confirm the details,” he said.

Punjab DGP Sidhharth Chattopadhyaya said to The Indian Express, “It is too early to say anything. But, it was a very powerful explosion. So there has to be something behind it. The forensic teams, the NSG and other teams are analyzing the details.” Chattopadhyaya, while commenting on one charred body recovered from the spot, added that while “nothing could be said at the moment”, there was possibility, indicated by “damage to his body and in the torso that he was carrying the explosive”. The DGP added, “You see bathroom is not a place where somebody will hide their explosive. If he was trying to put it together is a conjecture we feel.”

Meanwhile, a senior Punjab police officer said that police investigations were focusing on finding the mobile phone used by the perpetrator and examining the call detail records of the suspect to ascertain his identity. The officer corroborated what DGP Chattopadhyaya said and added the accused would have “attempted to detonate the bomb at a place which was crowded instead of a bathroom”.