Home Min Amit Shah gives 72 hr deadline to nab culprits of Ludhiana court blast: Sources

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has taken cognizance of the Ludhiana court blast and has given a 72 hours deadline to find the culprits, sources informed on Thursday. Republic has learned that in the aftermath of the attack, the Home Secretary briefed the state government and gave clear and strict orders to find the culprits within 72 hours. The MHA has asserted that all mechanisms will be at the disposal of the Punjab govt to nab the culprits.

Earlier today, CM Charanjit Singh Channi met the victims of the blast at the hospital, stating that an investigation was underway. "An investigation is underway. Some people want to create disturbance in Punjab. Government is on alert. One person died and 5 got injured in the incident," he said. 

Ludhiana: Explosion in court premises; 2 dead

In a shocking incident, an explosion occurred at a Ludhiana court on Thursday at around 12:25 PM, killing two people. As per sources, the blast occurred in a women's washroom inside the court premises. Visuals from the scene show walls and parts of the ceiling damaged in the third-floor washroom of courtroom no. 14. The nature of the explosion is yet to be ascertained. More details are awaited.

Speaking to the media from the site, CP GPS Bullar said, "We have sent everyone to hospital. The area has been sealed. We have called for a forensic team from Chandigarh. Will brief after the investigation is done."

Meanwhile, Punjab Dy CM Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa has discussed the possible role of Pakistan in the attack saying, "Why would Pakistan want Punjab to be stable? All our wars have maximum infliction near our border. We are not ruling out anything. External forces would never want that, because if Punjab is stable, India is stable. Drones are coming from there, weapons are coming."

It has also come to light that intel sources in a report to the Centre had warned that Pakistan's ISI is aiding pro-Khalistani groups. The collaboration of the ISI and pro-Khalistani groups is for executing terror attacks or provoking fights between religious groups, in a bid to create disharmony in the state ahead of the 2022 Punjab assembly polls, the report mentioned. 

(With agency inputs)

Image: PTI