Amritsar temple blast accused Gursidak killed in police encounter: Report

Amritsar temple blast accused Gursidak was killed in police encounter, according to media reports on Monday, March 17. This development comes three days after a grenade was lobbed at Thakurdwara Temple in Khandwala on the night of March 14. As per reports cross-firing happened during the Punjab police encounter.

Livemint couldn't independently verify the report

“An explosion took place outside a temple in Amritsar, damaging its walls and shattering its window panes,” PTI reported citing officials.

In the CCTV obtained from the site, two unidentified persons can be seen heading to the Thakur Dwara temple on a motorcycle. One of the individuals tossed an explosive material after waiting for a few seconds. Although no one was hurt in the incident, the incident sent shock waves among the residents in the Khandwala area of Amritsar.

On the day following the attack, Punjab Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal had informed that two suspects had been identified. "There were some miscreants who hurled a grenade at a temple after 12 am. There are no injuries or casualties... The situation is under control," PTI quoted Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal as saying.

ISI's involvement suspected

Suspecting Pakistan Intelligence agency ISI's involvement in the blast, Amritsar Commissioner GPS Bhullar had stated, "We got information at 2 am and rushed to the spot right away. A forensic team was called... We checked the CCTV and spoke to the nearby people. The thing is that Pakistan's ISI lures our youth into creating disturbances in Punjab," PTI reported.

Exuding confidence that law and order situation in Punjab is good, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann alleged that these incidents are attempts to show that Punjab has become a disturbed state. Following the explosion, BJP national spokesperson Shahzad Poonawalla slammed the Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab and condemned the attack.

The recent explosion follows Golden Temple attack incident that also took place on March 14. As many as five individuals sustained injuries after an assailant attacked people with an iron rod at Shri Guru Ramdas Sarai which is a lodging facility for pilgrims.