Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday moved in to secure forensic evidence and gather key inputs from the twin blast sites in Jalandhar and Amritsar, with teams rushing to assist the Punjab Police in piecing together the sequence behind the back-to-back explosions.Sources said NIA teams are en route and will work alongside state agencies as investigators examine CCTV footage, debris, and forensic samples to establish what triggered the blasts that have raised fresh security concerns in the border state.The first incident was reported around 8 pm near the headquarters of the Border Security Force (BSF) Punjab Frontier in Jalandhar, where a blast-like occurrence triggered panic.The blast triggered panic, damaging a scooter, a traffic signal pole, and nearby shop windows.Police said the scooter belonged to a delivery worker, Gurpreet Singh, and caught fire following a loud sound. Jalandhar Police Commissioner Dhanpreet Kaur said the exact cause remains under investigation and it is too early to confirm whether it was a deliberate blast.Forensic teams, dog squads, and bomb disposal units were deployed, while CCTV footage showed a plume of smoke and a person running from the scene moments after the explosion.Roughly three hours later, a second explosion was reported near the Khasa cantonment area in Amritsar at around 10:50 pm, triggering a rapid response from police, army personnel, and bomb disposal teams. SP Aditya S Warrier said the Bomb Disposal Squad and forensic teams collected samples, now sent for analysis to determine the nature of the blast.Preliminary findings suggest an explosive object may have been hurled at a boundary wall, causing damage, while CCTV visuals captured the moment of the blast. Locals reported being jolted awake by the loud explosion. No casualties were reported in either incident, though both sites remain under tight security as investigations continue.Officials are also probing possible links between the two blasts, especially after a recent explosion at a freight rail corridor in Patiala’s Shambhu area, where suspects linked to a pro-Khalistan module allegedly backed by Pakistan’s ISI were arrested.The incidents have sparked a political storm, with opposition parties targeting the Aam Aadmi Party government over alleged law-and-order failures. Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal criticised chief minister Bhagwant Mann, accusing him of failing to ensure security.Congress leader Raj Kumar questioned the timing of the incidents, alleging a possible conspiracy ahead of elections and raising concerns over lapses by both the Centre and the state government.Leader of opposition Partap Singh Bajwa said two explosions within hours cannot be brushed aside as coincidence, urging swift identification and strict action against those responsible. He warned that fear and speculation could deepen uncertainty in Punjab.Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring also flagged serious concerns, calling the blasts “deeply alarming” and demanding accountability, while pointing to repeated intelligence and security lapses.Senior Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia also questioned whether law and order in the sensitive border state had collapsed, pointing to multiple blast incidents in recent days.With central and state agencies now jointly probing the case, officials say all angles are under scrutiny. Preliminary investigations are ongoing, and more details are awaited as forensic and intelligence findings come in.
