Rocket-like object causes blast in Punjab Intelligence headquarters
Darpan News Desk IANS, 09 May, 2022 12:16 PM
Chandigarh, May 9 (IANS) A blast, caused by a rocket-like object, reportedly occurred in Punjab's highly-guarded Intelligence Bureau headquarters in upscale Sector 77, Mohali, near here on Monday evening. However, no casualty was reported.
It is learnt that it was an attack on the third floor of the building, an official said.
The area around the Intelligence Bureau office has been sealed and investigation is in progress. A bomb disposal and forensic squads have been positioned at the spot.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann spoke to Director General of Police V.K. Bhawra and sought details about the incident.
As per the press communique, a minor explosion was reported at the Punjab Police Intelligence headquarters at around 7.45 pm.
No damage has been reported. Senior officers are on the spot and investigation is being done, it added.
The attack came four days after arrest of Pakistan-backed terrorists in Haryana's Karnal by the state police following inputs from the Punjab Police.
Describing the arrest of four Pakistan's ISI-backed terrorists and preventing a major terror attack as a well coordinated operation, Punjab Police on May 5 said they successfully averted a possible terrorist attack.
However, police officials refuted claims of attempts by the ISI to revive terrorism in the state, saying such acts were part of its nefarious designs.
The arrested accused were identified as Gurpreet Singh, Amandeep Singh and Parminder Singh, residents of Vinjoke village in Zira, Ferozepur; and Bhupinder Singh of Bhatian village in Ludhiana.
DGP Bhawra had told the media here that a Central agency earlier shared an input that some suspects, who may be carrying explosive material and weapons are moving in the border districts of Fazilka and Ferozepur.
During preliminary interrogation, the accused had revealed that they were working for Pakistan-based gangster-turned-terrorist Harwinder Singh, alias Rinda.
Rinda, a notorious gangster active in Punjab, Chandigarh, Maharashtra and Haryana, is a history-sheeter and is wanted by the Punjab Police in heinous crimes, including murder, contract killing, robbery, extortion and snatching.
Also this blast occurred came almost a fortnight after the recovery of an explosive device near the high-profile Burail jail in Chandigarh.
Calling the Congress as the only party who protested against these 'black' laws from the very first day, the Chief Minister said his government called an all-party meeting and then held consultations with farm unions.
The highly specialised medical services to be rolled out across the state by end November will prove to be a boon for people, especially the poor for whom expert private sector medical care is out of reach, he said.
The Minister while addressing the inaugural session of 'Connect Karo 2021 - Towards Equitable, Sustainable Indian Cities' event, said that there can be no doubt that India's cities "enabled by citizen-centric infrastructure and transformational technology" will be the key to achieving the nation's development objectives.
Meanwhile, India logged 27,254 new Covid cases in the last 24 hours. The country also reported 219 Covid deaths in the same time span. The country presently has nearly 3.75 lakh active cases.
At a virtual Covid-19 review meeting, the Chief Minister said vaccine effectiveness is evident from the data being analysed. Special efforts were made to reach out to the government employees, and those who continue to avoid getting vaccinated will now be asked to go on leave till they get the first dose.
DGP Dinkar Gupta said with the case load decreasing, people had started being lax about wearing masks, which the Health Department should strictly enforce with the help of the police.
