Blast Rocks Area Near Amritsar Cantonment Probe Underway, No Casualties

(MENAFN- AsiaNet News)

A blast occured in Khasa near the cantonment area in Amritsar at around 10:50 am on Tuesday, prompting a swift response from police and security agencies. No casualties were reported.

Speaking to ANI, SP Aditya S. Warrier said police received information about the suspected blast, and senior officers immediately rushed to the spot along with the army personnel stationed in the cantonment area. The Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) was called to conduct a thorough inspection. The Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team collected samples and evidence from the site. The collected material has been sent for analysis to determine the nature and cause of the incident. Amritsar SP Aditya Warrior told ANI, "At around 10.50 pm, the police received a complaint about a sound of a blast near Khassa cantonment... The police team reached the spot along with the senior officials of the army residing in the cantonment. The BDS team was also called, which conducted a check there. The FSL team gathered the evidence, and it has been sent for sampling and testing. We are checking how many blasts have occurred and how." Preliminary investigation is underway, and further details are awaited.

Political Backlash Over Security Lapses

Meanwhile, a scooter caught fire near the BSF Chowk in Jalandhar on Tuesday, prompting an immediate response from local authorities. No injuries were reported. Both these incidents ignited sharp political reactions against the Aam Aadmi Party government. Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) General Secretary Bikram Singh Majithia condemned the blast, calling it a serious situation and alleging that the Punjab government has failed to maintain law and order. He questioned how a blast could occur in such a busy area and criticised the police for allegedly reaching a conclusion within minutes without a proper inquiry, terming it a scooter blast similar to a gas or tyre explosion. He urged the Union Home Minister and the Prime Minister to take a serious view of the security situation in Punjab, adding that the state continues to suffer due to alleged governance failures. He called for immediate corrective action, saying the situation requires national attention.

"Just connect the dots... Just like grenade attacks are often downplayed as tyre bursts, here too the claim of a scooty blast suggests the start of a cover-up operation. Was the Commissioner able to complete the investigation so quickly? Has the forensic team already submitted its report? The cover-up seems to have begun the moment the blast occurred," he wrote on X.

BJP Slams 'Collapsing Law & Order'

Punjab BJP General Secretary Parminder Singh Brar said the blast near the BSF headquarters in Jalandhar was a "chilling reminder" of deteriorating law and order in Punjab. The leader criticised the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, saying governance cannot be replaced by "optics and theatrics."

"Blast near BSF HQ in Jalandhar is a chilling reminder of the collapsing law & order in Punjab. A delivery scooter explosion in a crowded area shows how dangerously unsafe public spaces have become. The Aam Aadmi Party Punjab government must be held accountable; governance cannot be replaced by optics and theatrics. Punjab cannot afford this failure. People deserve security, not excuses," the BJP leader wrote on X.

Congress Expresses Alarm

Meanwhile, Congress leader and Punjab MLA Partap Singh Bajwa said, "The explosion in Jalandhar is deeply alarming. Incidents like these point to serious lapses in safety and vigilance. The government must stop reacting after the fact and start taking proactive, visible steps to secure lives and restore public confidence. Wish a speedy recovery to the injured BSF jawan."

Recent Blast Incident in Patiala

Earlier, on April 27, a blast occurred on a railway track in the Rajpura area of Patiala district after a detonation attempt was made late at night. According to Patiala Police, the person who carried out the detonation attempt died, while no other casualties or damage to property were reported. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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