Chandigarh blast.
The Punjab Police on Friday claimed that the Chandigarh grenade blast was planned by Pakistan-based terrorist Harwinder Singh Rinda and US-based gangster Harpreet Singh alias Happy Pasia. The police have also arrested the main accused in this case. Rinda is supported by Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Pakistan’s intelligence agency.
A low-intensity explosion occurred in a house located in Sector-10 of Chandigarh on Wednesday evening. The house owner claimed that two people traveling in an auto threw a hand grenade at the house. The main accused has been arrested in a joint operation with central agencies, police said.
Arrest of Rohan Masih
Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said that the arrested accused has been identified as Rohan Masih, a resident of Pasiya village in Amritsar. He said the police also seized a modern 9mm Glock pistol and ammunition from him.
The grenade was brought by a drone
The DGP said that the grenade used in the incident was a military grade device, which was smuggled across the border by drones with the help of the ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence). Gaurav Yadav said that the police have also identified the second accused and raids are on to nab him. He reiterated that Chandigarh Police is getting full cooperation in this matter.
Pasiya was lured by money
Preliminary investigation has revealed that Rohan, who was working in Jammu and Kashmir for some time, knew gangster Harpreet Singh alias Happy Pasia of his village. Happy Pasia instructed Rohan to carry out the attack by promising him financial benefits. DGP Gaurav Yadav said that during interrogation, accused Rohan has confessed his involvement in the grenade blast. According to Gaurav Yadav, Rohan revealed that he had acted at the behest of Happy Pasia, who was supplied with grenades and weapons by his accomplices.
The DGP said that the case is being investigated in collaboration with Chandigarh Police and central agencies to uncover the entire conspiracy. He said the accused is in the custody of the State Special Operations Cell (SSOC) in Amritsar.
Police arrested
Sharing more details, SSOC Assistant Inspector General Sukhminder Singh Mann said that after committing the crime, Rohan and his accomplice first went to Amritsar and then went their separate ways. He said that Rohan first went to his acquaintance in Khanna, but later returned to Amritsar as he had plans to visit Jammu and Kashmir. Meanwhile he was arrested.
attempt to attack
The AIG said that prima facie it appears that they were trying to target a specific person as the same terrorist group had attempted a similar attack at the same place last year. He said the Punjab Police successfully foiled that attempt by arresting two operatives, Bikramjit Singh alias Raja of Batala and Bawa Singh of Majitha.
