With only three days to go for the Punjab elections, political parties were engaged in a war of words, blaming each other for Tuesday’s high intensity twin explosions at Maur in Bathinda. Three more injured victims died on Wednesday, taking the toll to six.
Police told The Hindu that Central teams of forensic and explosives experts had reached Maur and investigation was under way. “Terrorism angle cannot be ruled out, but anything concrete could be said only after experts concluded their investigations. At least 48 hours is needed for that,” said Swapan Sharma, senior Superintendent of Police, Bathinda.
Charge against AAP
Three persons were killed and nearly a dozen suffered injuries on Tuesday evening in suspected IED (improvised explosive device) explosions near the venue of a poll campaign by Congress candidate Harminder Singh Jassi at Maur Mandi.
“Three casualties were reported on the spot while three more succumbed in a hospital at Ludhiana. Besides, 10 persons were injured and were being treated at various hospitals,” said Ghanshyam Thori, Deputy Commissioner, Bathinda.
Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal pointed out in a statement that “the manner in which the bomb blasts were executed was a throwback to the days of terrorism”.
Mr. Badal attacked Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party, alleging that the incident was a direct result of the party’s nexus with radical elements.
“We have been asking the Election Commission to take note of Arvind Kejriwal consorting with extremist forces. This blasts prove that our apprehensions were correct and that radical elements have infiltrated into Punjab in league with the AAP,” he said.
AAP too complains
Mr. Kejriwal, meanwhile, called for Mr. Badal’s arrest, alleging that he had a role in the blasts.
“To ensure peaceful elections, Sukhbir Badal should be immediately arrested. His role in yesterday’s blast [must] be probed. He’ll cause more violence,” tweeted Mr. Kejriwal.
State Congress president Capt. Amarinder Singh squarely blamed Mr. Kejriwal for promoting extremist forces such as the Khalistan Commando Force. “Mr, Kejriwal, who had stayed at a KCF extremist’s house in Punjab, was fanning terror forces through his actions,” he told reporters in Patiala. Even if the AAP is not directly involved in the explosions, it was clearly promoting extremist ideology,” he said.
