Punjab went on high alert immediately after the KLA said they caused the explosion at the BSF Punjab Headquarters in Jalandhar. Then, a later explosion at the Amritsar cantonment late at night caused more alarm. While officials have said the KLA’s claim about injuries is incorrect, investigations into both events have been made much more active throughout the state.
The KLA said in a letter that the Jalandhar bombing was in response to the death of Ranjit Singh, a militant who was killed by Punjab Police in February during a shootout in Gurdaspur. The KLA said Singh was connected to the killing of a Punjab Police Assistant Sub-Inspector and a Home Guard member in Adhian village.
What triggered the alert across Punjab
Security worries got a lot worse when the KLA said they set off the explosion outside the BSF Punjab Headquarters in Jalandhar. They claimed two BSF constables died and three more were injured.
However, officials say this is not true and the numbers of casualties given by the KLA are simply not correct. The official reports from the location of the explosion in Jalandhar do not support the KLA’s claims.
The explosion in Jalandhar was followed very quickly by another incident, which led authorities to expand their searches and work together on a response. Police say the explosion in Jalandhar happened around 8 pm on Tuesday.
Second late-night blast near Amritsar cantonment
At approximately 10:50 pm on Tuesday, people living near the Khasa cantonment in Amritsar heard what sounded like a big explosion. Police officers, soldiers, and the Bomb Disposal Squad all went to the area.
Amritsar SP Aditya S Warrier said the teams thoroughly searched the area and collected items to be analyzed. The Forensic Science Laboratory looked at the evidence, and samples were sent to be tested to figure out what kind of explosion it was and what caused it.
Amritsar (Rural) SSP Suhail Mir Qasim said police got a report around 11 pm of a loud explosion on a road in Khasa. It looks like someone threw something at a wall around the perimeter and it exploded.
Conflicting casualty claims
Officials have underscored the difference between the KLA narrative and verified information from the ground. Here is what both sides are saying:
– KLA claimed two BSF personnel were killed and three injured
– Officials said those figures are incorrect
– No injuries were reported in the Amritsar incident
What officials are probing now
Police and national intelligence agencies are trying to determine if there was more than one explosion in Amritsar and exactly what kind of device was used. They’re also putting together a timeline of events to see if the two explosions are connected in some way.
The Bomb Disposal Squad and the Forensic Science Laboratory teams have collected samples to be tested in a lab. The results of these tests will show if the device used in Amritsar was the same type of IED as the one used outside the BSF headquarters.
Because of this, authorities have increased checks at places that could be targets, and have sent more personnel to areas around cantonments and important buildings. They’re also being extra careful along major roads and in districts that border areas of concern.
Why this matters for the border state
The KLA taking responsibility for the explosions, plus the second blast happening so soon after the first, suggests they might be trying to cause trouble and upset people in this sensitive area near the border. Even if no one was actually killed or hurt, these incidents test how well the emergency services can respond and how well the different agencies can work with each other.
The reason the group gives for the attacks – Ranjit Singh’s death in a shootout in February – makes the security situation even more complicated. Investigators will look at whether people who support the group or are secretly working for them tried to take advantage of the recent problems.
In the next few days, you can expect to see more roadblocks, more police on patrol where you can see them, and updates from the forensic investigations. The agencies involved have said that the final lab results and information from the field will determine what the next security steps will be and what advice will be given to the public.
For people in Jalandhar and Amritsar, the official advice is simple: quickly report anything that seems suspicious, and don’t share information that hasn’t been checked. Investigations into both of the explosions in Punjab are continuing and officials say the numbers of casualties claimed by the KLA are wrong.
