Amritsar blast video: SGPC releases CCTV footage, says staffers' prompt action helped crack blast case near Golden Temple; questions Punjab Police 'leniency'

GS Paul

Amritsar, May 11

The efficient surveillance and the prompt action of the SGPC’s employees led to the arrest of the accused, including a woman, who were allegedly behind the third “mysterious” explosion, which occurred during wee hours near the Golden Temple.

After following the CCTV footsteps of main accused in explosion incident that took place today at about 12:10 am in Galiara behind Guru Ramdas Ji Niwas in Amritsar, the SGPC teams identified, traced & handed him over to @PunjabPoliceInd. Main accused was nabbed by SGPC team after… pic.twitter.com/h4u7sdlBtF

— Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (@SGPCAmritsar) May 11, 2023

This was claimed by the SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami who outright snubbed the “leniency” on the part of the police, despite three incidents of explosion on May 6, May 8 and May 11 near the holy Sikh Shrine.

Leaving nothing to chance, Dhami announced to enhance the vigil and set-up CCTV cameras in and around the Golden Temple.

“This has to be done when our policing was inefficient? Three back-to-back explosions within a span of six days that, too, in close proximity to each location and the police remained clueless?  This, in itself, show its inefficiency. Let alone the government or the police, we will install CCTV cameras on the entire stretch of the Heritage Street that leads to the shrine,” he said.

Dhami said it was a deep-rooted conspiracy, apparently politically influenced. “I believe that the police might have now cracked it as the accused were in their custody and may pat their back, but I firmly demand that  the truth must prevail, which should be devoid of any political interest,” he said.

The accused, including a woman, stayed at Sri Guru Ram Das Sarai, located just a few meters from the shrine. It was the same place (behind the sarai) in Galliara where the low intensity explosion had occurred during wee hours, but their nefarious action was captured in the CCTV cameras installed in and around the shrine.

Dhami said that the SGPC staffer Tajinder Singh and his colleagues who were on duty rushed to the spot as soon as they noticed a bright light flash that appeared on one of the cameras.

“By the time they reached the spot, the accused had already shifted from the place, but could not escape from the hawk eye of our staffers. They came back to the CCTV room and rolled back the particular footage only to zero in on one of the suspected accused. Since, the whole area in and around the shrine was covered with the CCTV cameras, the suspect was traced and caught by our staffers. By that time, the policemen too had reached the spot and he was arrested. Later, he led to his other partners in crime”, he said.

Among the suspects arrested included a newly-wed couple from the Guru Ram Das Sarai.  One of the suspects had thrown the explosives from the bathroom of the sarai towards the Galliara.

They were staying in room number 225 of the sarai. The police recovered two bags from them. Some torn papers were also recovered.

As per preliminary reports, the blast had occurred at around 12.12am. After hearing the blast the people informed the police. It took around half-an-hour for the police to locate the place.

Dhami said that these incidents had obviously led to create a sense of fear among the visitors, yet he appealed the devotees not to get worried.