A powerful explosion on Tuesday morning ripped through a vacant plot near a residential colony on the Majitha Road bypass in Amritsar, killing a man who had allegedly come to collect a consignment of explosives. The incident has sent shockwaves across Punjab, with police officials suspecting involvement of the Pakistan-backed Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), a known pro-Khalistan terror outfit.
Investigators believed the blast, which occurred near a power pole in a desolate patch adjoining the Descent Avenue colony, was not just a tragic mishap but part of a larger terror plot aimed at destabilizing the region.
The blast, which took place around 9:30 am, was so ferocious that the man’s limbs were blown apart. Local residents, startled by the deafening explosion, rushed to the site and found the individual writhing in pain, his hands and legs shredded. Despite being rushed to Guru Nanak Dev Hospital, the man succumbed to his injuries. Police officials, who arrived shortly after, sealed off the area, while forensic teams began collecting evidence to piece together the sequence of events.
Punjab Police officials have termed the incident a “clear act of terrorism”. DIG Border Range Satinder Singh, who personally visited the site, confirmed that preliminary findings point towards the involvement of Babbar Khalsa, acting at the behest of Pakistani agencies. “The man was attempting to pick up a consignment — possibly of explosives or arms — when the blast occurred. It appears he mishandled the material, triggering the explosion,” Singh said, adding that terror groups often stash weapons or bombs near identifiable landmarks like electric poles to facilitate covert retrieval.
Amritsar Rural Senior Superintendent of Police Maninder Singh revealed that the police had been tracking the deceased prior to the blast. “We had intelligence inputs regarding his activities. It’s likely he was assigned to recover the consignment as part of a larger terror operation. His death has, perhaps unintentionally, exposed the network,” he said. SSP Singh also blamed Pakistani intelligence services for continuously attempting to vitiate the atmosphere in Punjab by activating sleeper cells and using cross-border operatives.
Authorities have recovered several clues from the victim’s belongings, which they say are “crucial leads” pointing to his terrorist affiliations. While his exact identity remains under verification, officials asserted that he was not acting alone. “We suspect accomplices and are conducting raids to trace others linked to the operation,” said an officer involved in the investigation.
Eyewitness accounts reinforced the horror of the moment. “The blast shook our homes. We saw smoke, flames in the bushes, and a man groaning in agony. His body was mutilated...it was horrifying,” said a local resident. The explosion also ignited nearby vegetation, adding to the chaos.
Security has since been tightened in and around Descent Avenue. Additional police deployment, intensive patrolling, and scrutiny of CCTV footage are underway. Senior officers have appealed to residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity.
The incident has once again exposed the persistent threat of terror operations being staged from across the border, and the need for heightened intelligence coordination and community awareness to prevent such acts of violence in the future, putting the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in dock.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday said that the State Government is thoroughly investigating the circumstances surrounding the Amritsar blast. He assured that those found guilty of this heinous act will face strict and exemplary action in accordance with the law. Reaffirming his government's commitment to maintaining law and order, Mann declared that no one will be allowed to disrupt the hard-earned peace of Punjab.
Opposition slams AAP Govt over Amritsar blast, Demands NIA probe, accountability
The tragic Amritsar explosion has drawn sharp political reactions from across party lines, with the opposition uniting in criticism of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Punjab Government for its alleged failure to maintain law and order in the state. Senior Congress and BJP leaders have raised serious concerns over the deteriorating security environment and demanded immediate, concrete steps to contain the growing threat of terrorism.
Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu took to the social media platform X, calling the blast “a grim reminder of the collapsing law and order situation in Punjab”. Bittu pointed out that the government's repeated failure to act decisively has emboldened disruptive and anti-national elements. “Punjab Government must rise above complacency and work to restore law and order. Public safety cannot be compromised,” he asserted, warning that citizens are being left vulnerable under the current dispensation.
BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh, going a step further, demanded that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) take over the probe into Amritsar blast. “This horrifying incident is not an isolated one — it reflects the complete collapse of the state’s internal security under AAP’s misgovernance,” he said. Chugh recalled a string of past terror-related incidents, including grenade attacks on police stations and religious sites, and the attack on senior BJP leader Manoranjan Kalia’s residence.
He alleged that the Mann Government is either “turning a blind eye or is hand-in-glove with subversive elements,” and warned that people in Punjab are now living in an atmosphere of fear. “The AAP government has abdicated its constitutional responsibility to protect lives and ensure peace,” Chugh declared.
Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, expressing grave concern, said that the blast is yet another indication of the alarming rise in terror-related activities in the state. “We don’t want to sound panic bells, but the situation in Punjab is turning alarming day by day,” Warring wrote on X. He criticized the Government for targeting opposition leaders instead of addressing core security issues. “When our Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa flagged the issue, the Punjab Government slapped an FIR on him,” he pointed out.
Emphasizing that Punjab cannot afford to return to the dark days of terror, Warring said: “These are ominous signs. The onus lies on the Chief Minister to take the lead and set his priorities right.” He extended full support and cooperation from the Congress party to combat the threat collectively.