The Central government on Friday accepted the Captain Amarinder Singh-led Punjab government’s recommendation to hand over the Tarn Taran blast case of September 5 to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in view of its national and international ramifications, and the suspected links of the accused to the Pakistan-backed Sikhs for Justice (SFJ).
A communiqué to this effect has been received by the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police- Punjab, according to an official spokesperson.
The case registered under Section 304 of the Indian Penal Code and various sections of the Explosive Substances Act, related to a powerful explosion that took place in a vacant plot on the outskirts of the Pandori Gola village in the Tarn Taran district. Two persons were killed and one other injured in the blast, which took place when the victims were reportedly digging a pit to retrieve a dumped explosive consignment, which they mishandled.
The Punjab Police has arrested eight members of the Pakistan-backed module, and their interrogation led to a complex web of conspiracy and attacks by the group, including an aborted attack on a “high value target” in 2016.
The spokesperson said seven others, including the alleged module leader and main conspirator Bikramjit Singh alias Granthi, who is believed to be in Austria, are still absconding.
“A ‘Granthi’ by profession and a follower of Damdami Taksal, Bikramjit planned to target high political dignitaries, socio-religious places, local rival politicians, Hindu leaders and Sikh preachers, with the help of local-made crude bombs. An IED (improvised explosive device) expert, he also planned to attack police personnel with multiple local-made bombs,” said the spokesperson.
