Families of Chandigarh blast suspects unaware of their involvement in crime

PK Jaiswar/Ravi Dhaliwal

The two suspects arrested by the Punjab Police in connection with the Chandigarh blast, Rohan Masih and Vishal Masih, hail from impoverished families. Both worked as carpenters to make a living.

Vishal Masih’s family lives in a small, dilapidated house in Raimal village in Dera Baba Nanak block. His father, Sarabjit Singh, is handicapped and works as a labourer, while his mother works as a maid. Vishal’s younger brother also labours to support the family. Villagers said that Vishal had not been seen in the area for several months, except for a brief visit last week.

A neighbour recounted that Vishal had developed a close bond with Rohan about a year ago, and the two often worked together as carpenters. Rohan even stayed at Vishal’s house on September 10. While it remains unclear how Vishal became involved in criminal activities, locals suspect he may have been lured by the promise of money, as he was always struggling financially and had dreams of renovating his home.

Similarly, Rohan Masih’s family from Pashia village has not lived in the area for about a year. His father, Bira Masih, is a labourer who works in marriage halls, while his brother, Joban, worked as a carpenter in Jammu and Kashmir, though his current whereabouts are unknown.

According to villagers, Rohan’s family was not well-known in the community, and the news of his involvement in the Chandigarh blast came as a shock. A distant relative revealed that Rohan’s mother had separated from the family years ago, adding to the mystery of how Rohan became involved in the crime. The probe is expected to shed more light on the suspects’ recent activities and possible connections to larger criminal networks.