Explosions at Sec 26 clubs: Both accused stayed in Kharar a day before carrying out blasts

Two Hisar-based youths, who carried out crude bomb blasts outside two clubs in Sector 26 recently, had conducted a recce three hours before the attack. They had switched off their mobile phones.

The accused, Vinay (20) and Ajit Sehrawat (21), arrived in the city a day prior to the blasts and stayed in Kharar.

Sources said Randeep Malik, an associate of gangster Goldy Brar, provided the assailants with pictures of the Seville Bar and Lounge, owned by rapper Badshah; and the De’Orra Club for carrying out the blasts. The accused did a recce to identify the clubs before exploding the crude bombs.

Acting on Malik’s instructions, the attackers turned their phones off and deleted the chats related to the plan. However, investigators recovered some messages exchanged shortly before the attacks.

One of the chats recovered from their phones mentioned that the blasts would be carried out once “Goldy Bhai” switched his phone on, indicating the operation was awaiting a final approval.

After returning to Hisar, the accused intended to flee to Rajasthan. However, a joint team from the Chandigarh Crime Branch and Haryana Police’s STF intercepted them on the outskirts of Hisar. They were arrested after an encounter.

According to the police, Randeep is in the US.

On November 26, the assailants first carried out a blast at Seville around 3:15 am and targeted De’Orra, which is situated just 30 metres away, minutes later. Both clubs are just 100 metres from the Sector 26 police station and Operation Cell premises.

A few hours after the attack, a Facebook post from an account under the name Goldy Brar went viral, claiming responsibility for the blasts. The post alleged that Goldy Brar and Rohit Godara, associated with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, were behind the incident. The post also mentioned names of Randeep and Varinder Charan.