5 held after third blast, radical literature seized

PK Jaiswar

Amritsar, May 11

The police on Thursday arrested five persons in connection with the low-intensity blasts near the Golden Temple here, hours after another explosion took place in the area.

In less than a week, three explosions have taken place in the city. The third took place on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday in Galliara, the pathway and park around the Golden Temple, behind Guru Ram Das Serai, the police said. Earlier on May 6, a low-intensity explosion had taken place near Saragarhi multistory parking on the Heritage Street at 11.30 pm, while the second one occurred in the area in less than 30 hours after the first. Those arrested were identified as Azadbir Singh of Wadala Kalan village, Baba Bakala; Amrik Singh of Dubri village, Gurdaspur; and Dharminder Singh, Harjeet Singh and Sahib Singh of Amritsar. They were produced before a local court which sent them to seven-day police remand.

Addressing the media, DGP Gaurav Yadav said the motive behind the explosions was yet to be ascertained. He said while Dharminder, Harjeet and Sahib sourced the explosives, Azadbir and Amrik Singh assembled the same. Sahib Singh dealt in explosives used for making crackers, the DGP said, adding all had a criminal past.

The police seized 1.1 kg of explosive material and some radical literature from their possession. They also apprehended a woman whose role was being looked into, Yadav said. Azadbir and Amrik were putting up at the Guru Ram Das Sarai on the Golden Temple complex for the past several days. The DGP said Police Commissioner Naunihal Singh had been directed to form an SIT to probe the incidents threadbare. “We will track their links in India and abroad to expose those behind the conspiracy to disturb peace in Punjab,” he said.

Yadav thanked the SGPC authorities for their cooperation and appreciated its task force for helping the police in identifying the suspects.