Chandigarh: Punjab Police say the blast at a temple in Amritsar in the early hours of Saturday looked like the handiwork of “Pakistan’s ISI”. While this was the 15th such incident in Punjab in the past seven months, it was the first time a temple was targeted.
CCTV footage caught two unidentified motorcycle-borne individuals hurling an explosive device at the Thakurdwara temple in the crowded Khandwala area of Amritsar just after midnight. The front facade of the temple was damaged in the blast, but no injuries or deaths have been reported so far. Advocate Kiranpreet Singh, a councillor of the area, told the media that the blast was powerful and was heard several kilometres away.
He added the temple was at least 20-years-old and was frequented by residents of the area. “The priest and his family were inside the temple when the incident took place, but thankfully nobody was injured even though the front of the temple was damaged.”
Commissioner of Police Gurpreet Singh Bhullar who, when asked about the incident, replied: “…Pakistan’s ISI lures our youth into creating disturbances in Punjab.”
He added, “Pakistan engages in such mischievous acts from time to time.”
Bhullar also linked the blast to the Friday arrest of three key operatives of the Babbar Khalsa International, a seperatist outfit, from Bihar.
Addressing a press conference, Bhullar said the narco-terror module linked to BKI was busted and three people from Khandwala area were arrested in Bihar’s Madhepur. “Khandwala is the same area where the blast took place last night,” he added.
“There is a strong possibility that these arrests are linked to the blast. The narco-terror module was run by 21-year-old Karandeep Yadav, who is a matriculate and was doing shuttering work. He was wanted in a case for supplying grenades to foot soldiers of the BKI,” said Bhullar.
Adding, “Other two persons arrested included Mukesh Kumar Yadav who is a matriculate and worked as a disc jockey and Sajjan Kumar who worked as a plaster of paris decorator.”
Bhullar said the police managed to gather information about Karandeep alias ‘Karan Bhaiya’ supplying grenades and explosives from two drug peddlers arrested last week with commercial quantities of heroin. He added that Karandeep, Mukesh and Sajjan were trying to slip out of the country to Nepal when they were arrested. “Those involved in the blast outside the temple would also be arrested soon. We are waiting for the three arrested BKI operatives to reach Punjab after which we will be questioning them,” added Bhullar.
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1st such attack against temple
This is the 15th grenade blast incident in Punjab in the past seven months. However, in the majority of the earlier cases, police establishments or official residences were targeted and this is the first time that such an attack was carried out against a temple.
“It is a clear attempt to disrupt communal harmony,” senior Akali leader Dr Daljit Singh Cheema said on X, alleging that this is part of a larger conspiracy to destabilise Punjab and take it back to the dark times of militancy. He demanded a judicial probe into the incident.
In November 2022, Shiv Sena (Taksali) leader Sudhir Suri was shot dead by Sikh radical Sandeep Singh while Suri was protesting against the desecration of Hindu deities outside a temple in Amritsar.
And in January this year, miscreants lobbed a grenade at the residence of late liquor contractor and Congress leader Rajinder Kumar. The BKI had claimed the attack, saying they had asked the contractor several times to stop selling liquor but he did not comply.
A number of these cases were linked to BKI operative Harpreet Singh alias Happy Passia—a gangster-turned-militant based in the US. “Those who have carried out the blasts are from Punjab only. I want all those youngsters who are willingly participating in these activities that they will be caught and their lives, the lives of their parents will get spoiled. The people they are working for are abroad and they have nothing to lose,” said Bhullar.
On Saturday, Amritsar Police also held a meeting with the Thakurdwara temple management and assured that all individuals involved in the incident would be arrested as soon as possible and appropriate legal action would be taken against them.
“During the meeting, local residents were also urged to maintain peace and cooperate with the police,” Amritsar Police said in a statement posted on X.
Deteriorating law & situation
The Opposition has condemned the deteriorating law and order situation in the state under the Aam Aadmi Party government.
I strongly condemn bomb attack on Thakur Dwara temple, Khandwala in Amritsar. AAP government fails to check repeated incidents of blasts in border city. Deteriorating law and order in Punjab is matter of serious concern.@ANI @PTI_News @CNNnews18 pic.twitter.com/caQtjnMCrn
— Ravneet Singh Bittu (@RavneetBittu) March 15, 2025
In response, speaking to the media, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said that there had been several attempts to disturb the peace in Punjab and show it as a disturbed state. However, the law and order situation in Punjab, said Mann, was “much better than many other states where on festivals like Holi people have to be lathi-charged”.
Bharatiya Janata Party MP and Union minister Ravneet Bittu said on X, “I strongly condemn the bomb attack on Thakurdwara temple, Khandwala in Amritsar. AAP government fails to check repeated incidents of blasts in border city. Deteriorating law and order in Punjab is a matter of serious concern.”
Cheema said the incident “is proof of complete collapse of law and order in the state”.
He also accused the central and state agencies of trying to cause ‘khanajangi’ (divisions) among Sikhs. “Both Union and state governments should take moral responsibility for these incidents and should desist from interfering in the religious affairs of Sikhs and stop provoking forces who want to illegally take control of Sikh institutions,” Cheema added.
“Such experiments have proved to be dangerous in the past and are again taking Punjab in the wrong direction. So both state and union governments should learn from history.”
Senior BJP leader Laxmi Kanta Chawla, who heads the committee that oversees the affairs of the Durgiana temple in Amritsar, told ThePrint that the attack on a temple was a clear attempt to disrupt peace and harmony. “There are many who don’t want Punjab to remain peaceful and are constantly attempting to create trouble. Those who are being used by these nefarious forces to carry out their handiwork are young boys belonging to very poor families who carry out these acts for a mere 10-15 thousand rupees,” he said.
Chawla added, “It is a serious matter and police need to crush all attempts to disrupt peace with a strong hand.”
Leading civil society group the Amritsar Vikas Manch said the city administration and the Punjab government should take immediate and decisive action to identify and bring the culprits to justice. “The residents of Amritsar deserve to live in an environment of peace, security, and fearlessness,” Kulwant Singh Ankhi, a patron of the body, said in a statement.
“It is worth noting that Amritsar has emerged as a major tourist destination, attracting thousands of visitors and devotees daily. Ensuring their safety must be a top priority for the police and administrative authorities,” he added. He also encouraged residents of Amritsar not “to succumb to fear in the face of such cowardly and disruptive actions … and stand united against those who seek to sow division and hatred”.
(Edited by Sanya Mathur)
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