Garhshankar (Hoshiarpur),
January 31
A powerful blast took place in a running Punjab Roadways bus near here as a result of which two persons were charred to death early this morning.
According to forensic experts the blast was caused by a bomb.
Though the police authorities are tight-lipped, the incident is largely seen as first terrorist-related activity after the initiation of the poll process in the state, which has been peaceful so far.
The rear side of the Chandigarh bound bus caught, fire after the blast at Patrana village at about 6.10 a.m. While two unidentified passengers got charred completely immediately after the blast, as many as 12 passengers were injured, two of them seriously.
Shocked passengers alighted from the bus and started running helter-skelter for safety as it came to a grinding halt due to the impact of the blast. Some of them were so frightened that they could not even recall that some blast had taken place in the vehicle, which had left Hoshiarpur at around 5.15 a.m. As the blast shattered the morning tranquility people of nearby villages reached the spot and extended help to passengers. “We could see nothing after the blast, which was so powerful that we were left stunned” a passenger said.
While, two bodies could not be identified as these had got charred beyond recognition, six passengers have been identified as Rajinder Kumar Bhatia (Hoshiarpur), Manjit Singh and Palwinder Singh (Khun Khun Kalan Gobindpur near Hariana), Sukhwinder Singh (Jaitpur near Mahilpur), Om Parkash (Banga in Nawanshahr), and conductor Gurdev Singh.
They have been admitted to different hospitals in Mahilpur and Garhshankar, while Khushwant Singh and his father Malkiat Singh, who have suffered serious burn injuries, have been shifted to the Hoshiarpur civil hospital where their condition is stated to be critical. At least six persons who have been discharged after first aid could not be identified, said the Garhshankar SHO.
The Jalandhar DIG, Mr C.S.R. Reddy reached the spot to take stock of the situation. Mr Sanjiv Kalra, Hoshiarpur SSP said forensic experts examined the site.
Mr J.P. Birdi, IG, ruled out Pakistan’s ISI being behind the incident but said terrorists were suspected to have carried out the explosion.
Mr Birdi said a team of forensic experts had been requisitioned to ascertain the cause of the explosion.
The injured have been admitted to different hospitals in the district.
Meanwhile, the district administration has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5000 each to next of kin of those killed and Rs 2500 each to the seriously injured.
Mr J.P. Birdi, IG, ruled out Pakistan’s ISI being behind the incident but said terrorists were suspected to have carried out the explosion.
Mr Birdi said a team of forensic experts had been requisitioned to ascertain the cause of the explosion.
The injured have been admitted to different hospitals in the district.
Meanwhile, the district administration has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5000 each to next of kin of those killed and Rs 2500 each to the seriously injured.
