A massive explosion took place inside a court complex in Punjab's Ludhiana on Thursday. The blast has caused an atmosphere of chaos in poll-bound Punjab. A police team has been rushed
to the spot and an investigation is underway.
Here's what we know so far:
- The explosion is said to have occurred at around 12:22 p.m. in a bathroom on the building's second floor.
- The building's second-floor has eight courtrooms, but due to a strike by a group of lawyers, only a few people were there on Thursday. The blast was so powerful that it shattered glass panes in adjoining rooms and damaged the bathroom walls.
- The district court where the explosion took place is situated in the middle of Ludhiana city, near the District Commissioner's office. It was open for business at the time of the blast.
- The police have closed off the area and court is being evacuated. As a precaution, the District Administrative Complex and government offices in the adjoining DC office complex (mini-secretariat) have also been evacuated.
- According to sources, two people have been killed in the blast and at least four are reported injured. Advocate RS Mand has been identified as one of those injured.
- Ludhiana CP, Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said, “An explosion was heard near the Record Room on the second floor of the Ludhiana Court complex. The bomb disposal team and forensics team has been called from Chandigarh for the probe. There is no need to panic.”
- Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi was already in Ludhiana when the blast took place. He will soon visit the site of blast to take account of the situation there.
“I am going to Ludhiana. Some anti-national elements are doing such acts as Assembly elections are nearing. The government is on alert. Those found guilty will not be spared,”
said Punjab CM Channi.
- Witness Account: The lawyers present on the spot have raised concerns about the court's security system.
"There's a body inside. There is no security system in court, anybody can come and go. A man has died. I myself saw the dead body. I touched it, he was dead," said a lawyer.
- According to Ludhiana police commissioner, the blast could have been executed by a human bomb. "We are investigating whether or not the individual whose body is inside and has yet to be identified was carrying the device or was extremely close to it," Bhullar said.
- Navjot Singh Sidhu speaking on explosion said, "the blast in Ludhiana Court leaves no shadow of doubt that a series of peace-disrupting activities have been planned by vested interests to create law & Order problems in Punjab. Condolences to those who lost their lives and sincere prayers for speedy recovery of the injured."
- Former Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has also expressed grief over the blast and said that Punjab police must get to the bottom of the matter.
Disturbing news of a blast at Ludhiana court complex. Saddened to know about the demise of 2 individuals, Praying for the recovery of those injured. @PunjabPoliceInd must get to the
bottom of this," read a tweet by Captain.
- Delhi Chief Minister and AAP president Arvind Kejriwal said, "First sacrilege, now a blast. Some people want to disrupt law and order in Punjab. But 3 crore people of Punjab will not allow their plans to succeed. We are going to hold each other's hands in solidarity."
"I am really saddened by the news; my thoughts go out to the families of those who have died, and I wish all those who have been injured a swift recovery," he added.
- The deadly blast comes just a few days after the sacrilege attempt in Golden Temple in Amritsar. The one after other incidents indicates a deep-rooted conspiracy to trigger chaos in Punjab, as the state runs into assembly elections.