2 held for Jalandhar grenade attack; cops find Lawrence Bishnoi, Babbar Khalsa link

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab Police have arrested two suspects in connection with the grenade attack on the house of BJP leader Manoranjan Kalia in Jalandhar. Police said the duo used an e-rickshaw to execute the attack around 1am. The vehicle has been recovered, and police are likely on the lookout for at least two more suspects.Addressing a press conference, special DGP (Law and Order) Arpit Shukla said that police are now on the lookout for two other suspects believed to be involved in the plot.He said that one Zeeshan Akhtar and Shehzad Bhatti, who is based in Pakistan, allegedly hatched the plot to target the BJP leader with the help Lawrence Bishnoi gang and terror outfit Babbar Khalsa International (BKI).The grenade explosion, which occurred early on Tuesday, caused significant damage to Kalia’s house. However, no casualties were reported in the incident. The blast severely damaged the aluminum partition, shattered the windows, and left a small hole in the floor at the entrance of the house. Kalia, a former cabinet minister and president of Punjab BJP, was at home at the time of the attack but was unharmed.As per the police, the explosion occurred around 1am at Kalia’s house near Shastri Market. Kalia initially mistook it for a transformer explosion but soon realised it was much more serious. His SUV and a motorcycle parked in the courtyard were also damaged in the explosion. CCTV footage revealed that an e-rickshaw approached the residence before the blast, showing sparks and smoke in the aftermath. In the video, a dog in the area can be seen running away in fear following the explosion.Police and forensic teams quickly arrived at the scene to investigate. Jalandhar Police Commissioner Dhanpreet Kaur confirmed that the blast had been caused by a hand-grenade and stated that a thorough investigation was underway. Authorities are examining the CCTV footage to trace the culprits and have secured nearby areas to ensure the safety of the public. Kaur also mentioned that the police had taken necessary measures to increase security in key locations such as bus stands and railway stations.The attack has sparked political outrage, with opposition parties accusing the AAP government of failing to maintain law and order in the state. BJP leaders, including Union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu, condemned the attack, calling it a “well-planned conspiracy” to destabilize the region. Bittu likened the attack to incidents seen in Naxal-affected areas and Kashmir, raising concerns over the safety of political leaders in Punjab.Punjab cabinet minister Mohinder Bhagat and AAP leader Pawan Kumar Tinu also visited Kalia’s residence, offering support and condemning the attack. Bhagat blamed “miscreants” who couldn’t tolerate the state’s development for the attack, while Tinu emphasized that such acts were meant to disturb peace and harmony in Punjab. Both leaders assured the public that the state government would take all necessary steps to restore peace and ensure the perpetrators were brought to justice.Opposition leaders have called for the resignation of chief minister Bhagwant Mann, citing the increasing lawlessness under his administration. BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh demanded the CM’s resignation, accusing him of failing to tackle the growing instability in Punjab.(With agency inputs)