Meanwhile, the Union home ministry has sought a detailed report on the blast from the Punjab government
Punjab is on high alert after a man was killed and five others seriously injured in a blast inside the district court complex in Ludhiana on Thursday afternoon.
Chief Minister Charanjit Channi said that the blast was carried out by “anti-national” forces trying to disturb law and order ahead of state Assembly polls.
“As Punjab elections are approaching, some anti-national and anti-Punjab forces are trying to disturb peace. First, there was an attempt of sacrilege at Golden Temple in which they failed. Now, this blast. We are not going to spare culprits,” Channi said.
Punjab CM announces free treatment for all injured
Channi added that he will visit Ludhiana to take stock of the situation and said the treatment for those injured will be free of cost.
Channi, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and state minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu also visited a hospital in Ludhiana and enquired about the health of those injured in the blast.
Channi told reporters in Ludhiana, prima facie, it appears that the person who died in the incident was operating the bomb.
Five people were injured in this incident and they are out of danger, the chief minister said terming the blast as an “unfortunate incident”.
He expressed fear that an attempt is being made to “spread anarchy” in Punjab, ahead of the state Assembly polls.
“I want to make it clear that peace will be maintained at all costs,” he said.
“Our police are capable of maintaining law and order. But which agencies were trying to disturb Punjab’s peace will become clear as investigations are on,” he said, adding that those responsible will be dealt with sternly.
Ludhiana Commissioner of Police Gurpreet Singh Bhullar informed that the blast, which reportedly took place at 12.22 pm, was heard near the record room on the second floor of the Ludhiana Court complex.
The blast was so powerful that one of the walls in the complex got damaged and the windows of some vehicles parked in the premises were shattered, the police was quoted as saying.
“One person died, five persons were injured in the incident. Bomb disposal team and forensics team has been called from Chandigarh for probe,” Bhullar said.
The district court was functioning when the explosion took place. The cause of the explosion is yet to be ascertained. Meanwhile, the police have cordoned off the area and forensic teams will collect samples from the blast site.
MHA seeks report from Punjab govt on Ludhiana blast
Meanwhile, Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla Thursday briefed Home Minister Amit Shah after speaking to officials of Punjab about the Ludhiana court blast.
The home ministry has sought a detailed report on the blast from the Punjab government. MHA has asked the Punjab government to send the report as early as possible, giving details of the incident.
The ministry also asked the state government to inform it about the findings of the initial investigation and who could be possibly involved in the explosion, the officials said.
Minutes before the blast, hearing of a rape case against MLA Simarjeet Bains had taken place, in which Bains had filed an application in response to non bailable warrants issued against him. However, this was in the court room on fifth floor, reported Indian Express.
The blast comes days after the alleged sacrilege bids – at the Golden Temple in Amritsar and a gurdwara in Kapurthala – followed by the lynching of two men.
Over the past months there have also been cases of drones being spotted near the Pakistan border, with authorities suspecting that they could have dropped arms or explosives.
Channi expressed fear that an attempt was being made to spread “anarchy” in the poll-bound state.
Earlier, he told reporters in Chandigarh, “As elections near, some anti-national and anti-state forces are trying to commit such disgusting acts, and for this the government is alert and the people should also be alert,” he said.
Deputy CM Randhawa, who is also the state’s home minister, said some “external forces” could be trying to destabilise Punjab, and alluded to Pakistan. Punjab has been put on high alert, he said.
Several advocates complained of lax security arrangements at the complex, and Randhawa said more metal detectors will be installed there.
Asked if it could be a human bomb or a fidayeen suicide attack, he minister nothing can be ruled out. A DNA test will be conducted on the unidentified man found dead at the blast site, he added.
CCTV footage will also be examined, he said.
Initial reports said two people were killed, but police later clarified that only one man had died.
CJI expresses shock over Ludhiana court blast
Chief Justice of India (CJI) NV Ramana expressed deep shock over the blast inside the Ludhiana district courts complex, saying such incidents in quick succession across the country is a “worrisome” trend.
He hoped that law-enforcing agencies will pay necessary attention to ensure protection for the court complexes and all the stake holders.
Expressing grave concern at the “lack of adequate security in court complexes”, he said “Such incidents occurring in quick succession across the country are a worrisome trend.”
The CJI also called Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court Ravi Shankar Jha to inquire about the development.
Oppn leaders express condolences
Condemning the incident, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tweeted, “My condolences to the families of those who’ve lost their lives and prayers of quick recovery for the injured. Strict action must be taken at the earliest against those guilty.”
Former chief minister Amarinder Singh said he was saddened after hearing that two people had died. “PunjabPoliceInd must get to the bottom of this,” he tweeted.
Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal expressed shock. “Pb govt must focus on law & order instead of political vendetta to ensure peace & communal harmony in State,” he said in a tweet.
The Aam Aadmi Party called it a “conspiracy” and said the Channi government had “completely failed” in maintaining law and order in the state.
With inputs from agencies