The Punjab Police have cracked a Pakistan Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI)-backed terror module as the alleged plotter of the recent grenade attack on the house of BJP leader Manoranjan Kalia in Jalandhar. The case was solved within 12 hours, a top official said, describing it as a “major conspiracy” to disrupt communal harmony in the region.
At a press conference, Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Arpit Shukla revealed that Zeeshan Akhtar and Pakistan-based operative Shahzed Bhatti are the two masterminds of the attack. Investigations are underway to look into their connections with the banned Khalistani group Babbar Khalsa International (BKI).
The grenade was thrown outside Kalia’s house around 1 am on Tuesday. Fortunately, Kalia, a former Punjab minister, was inside the house at the time and was unhurt. The attacker arrived in an e-rickshaw, took a U-turn after passing the house, and then tossed the grenade and fled, as captured by CCTV cameras.
A forensic team examined the spot soon after the explosion, and the autorickshaw used for the blast has since been recovered by officials. “The case has been solved on the basis of scientific investigation. We are in contact with central agencies and are making targeted raids. Preventive measures are also being adopted,” Shukla said, assuring the Punjab Police’s contribution to maintaining law and order in the state.
Shukla, joined by IGP Headquarters Dr. Sukhchain Singh Gill, disclosed that the preliminary inquiry indicates a larger conspiracy designed by the ISI. Zeeshan Akhtar, having connections with gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, and ISI operative Shahzad Bhatti are reported to be the major conspirators in this plot.
Police are also exploring links to Harwinder Singh, alias Rinda, of Babbar Khalsa International and gangster Happy Passia, indicating a bigger terror module intended to destabilize communal harmony in Punjab.
Two arrests have already been connected with the grenade attack. Manoranjan Kalia, recalling the incident, initially thought the loud noise was a transformer burst or thunder. He later came to know that it was a grenade explosion when there was a knock on his door.
The blast was intense and resulted in massive destruction, shattering windows, tearing through an aluminum partition, and destroying Kalia’s SUV and a motorbike in the courtyard.
The attack is the newest in a worrying string of grenade attacks that have plagued Punjab over the past six months. The state has witnessed at least 16 grenade attacks against various targets, from police posts to residential and religious centers, and now a political leader, since mid-October 2024. The latest blasts have occurred in cities such as Amritsar, Nawanshahr, Batala, Gurdaspur, and Patiala, and have targeted civilians as well as police officials.
