A pro-Khalistan terror module with suspected ties to Pakistan's ISI has been busted after a railway track blast in Patiala, raising concerns about cross-border terrorism and security in Punjab.
A pro-Khalistan terror module, backed by Pakistan's ISI, carried out a late Monday night blast at a freight corridor railway track near the Shambhu area in Patiala, killing the suspect who was attempting to detonate the explosives, police said here, adding that four members of the group have been arrested.
The explosion, which occurred on the Shambhu-Ambala rail track, was initially described as a low-intensity blast. However, an investigation later determined it was an attempt to blow up the track, police stated.
It was the second such attempt in the past three months, targeting the freight rail corridor track. Earlier in January, a blast on a dedicated freight corridor railway track in the Fatehgarh Sahib district's Sirhind had damaged the engine of a train and left a loco pilot injured.
The explosion occurred near Bothonia village on the rail track, causing damage and leaving a small crater beneath the railway line, police said on Tuesday.
The person who was trying to carry out the detonation died when he was planting the explosive device, and due to mishandling, the blast took place, police said, suspecting that RDX was used as the explosive material.
However, the kind of explosive and its quantity would be known after the report of a forensic team.
Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Kuldeep Chahal said the blast took place before a coal-laden train on the stretch passed along the stretch.
The loco pilot of the train felt some jerk, and then he raised an alarm, alerting the authorities, said the DIG.
Police have identified the deceased suspect as Jagrup Singh, a resident of Panjwar village in Tarn Taran district, with DIG Chahal saying he was part of the terror module, which was being run from Malaysia.
The impact of the blast was so strong that Jagrup's body was blown into pieces, and his parts were found strewn around 200 feet from the explosion spot.
Jagrup was wearing the dress of a 'Nihang' (Sikhs dressed in loose blue top), said the DIG.
Chahal said police suspect that one more person might have accompanied Jagrup, the hunt for whom is underway.
Four persons, who have been arrested, are identified as Pardeep Singh Khalsa, Kulwinder Singh, both residents of Mansa, Satnam Singh and Gurpreet Singh, both residents of Tarn Taran.
Satnam is the younger brother of Jagrup Singh.
Pardeep Khalsa was the kingpin of the module as he was in close proximity with Malaysia-based pro-Khalistani handlers and in close contact with Pakistan-based arms suppliers.
He used to send radicalised youth to Malaysia for undergoing terror training and then assign them the tasks of carrying out terror activities, said the DIG while speaking to reporters in Patiala.
Khalsa, who had about 4-5 cases registered against him in Mansa, was also running a radical outfit in the name of 'Chalda Vaheer Chakarwarti, Attariye.'
Police recovered a hand grenade, two pistols, ammunition, communication devices for detonations, a walkie-talkie and laptops from their possession, officials said.
During the investigation, it came to the fore that Jagrup was in touch with this module, said the DIG.
In 2019, he had even visited Malaysia from where this module was being run, said Chahal, adding the group had a plan to create an atmosphere of terror and disturb peace in the state.
Asked about Jagrup's association with Waris Punjab De, the party of Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh, he said they could comment only after the probe.
Manjit Singh, sarpanch of Panjwar village in Tan Taran district, said Jagrup was one of the supporters of Amritpal and had sought votes in his favour during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Amritpal is currently lodged in a jail in Assam in the 2023 Ajnala Police Station attack case.
Jagrup also had a case registered against him in Tarn Taran in 2024, said the DGP.
Special Director General of Police (Railway) Shashi Prabha Dwivedi, who visited the explosion site, said since it was the second such incident in the past three months, NIA will most probably be involved in the investigation.
She also noted the absence of any kind of surveillance cameras around the railway track and emphasised the need to install CCTVs at short distances along the corridor.
Earlier, Patiala SSP Varun Sharma said that they had recovered a SIM card from the spot and had launched a technical investigation.
Meanwhile, a Government Railway Police official said repair work on the railway track was undertaken, and rail traffic has been restored.
A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Explosive Act, the Arms Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).