Punjab Chief Vows to Punish Perpetrators as Rocket-Propelled Grenade Hits Police Intelligence HQs

A minor explosion was reported at the Punjab Police Intelligence Headquarters at around 7:45 p.m. (Indian Standard Time) on Monday. No damage has been reported.

A day after a rocket-propelled grenade hit the Intelligence Wing headquarters in India's Punjab, State Chief Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday said that "whoever tried to spoil the atmosphere of our Punjab will not be spared".

"Probe has been launched, and strict action will be taken against the perpetrators. Police are investigating the blast in Mohali. Those who tried to vitiate the atmosphere in our Punjab will not be spared," Mann said in a tweet in the Punjabi language.

Though no one was injured in the explosion, the rocket-propelled grenade shattered windowpanes on one of the building floors, police said.

"A rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) is a shoulder-fired, anti-tank weapon system that fires rockets equipped with an explosive warhead. Officers on the site said the weapon was ‘made in China’ as per the lot number written on it," reported Indian Express.

The police have cordoned off the area.

"The intelligence wing office is in the middle of a densely populated area with Maharaja Ranjit Singh Armed Forces Preparatory academy next to it. The Sohana hospital is in its vicinity and a school is at its rear. Police were also searching the residential area around the office," Indian Express added.

Explosive

© Photo : Twitter

Ammunition Recovered By Punjab Police After Explosion

© Photo : Twitter

State Chief Mann has also called for a meeting at his residence on Tuesday morning with the police chief and other senior officers to seek a report on the course of action, news agency ANI reported.

The blast took place after the arrest of a number of suspect terror operatives over the past few weeks in Punjab and the neighbouring state of Haryana.

On Sunday, the state police recovered an explosive device packed with around 1.5 kg of RDX and arrested two men. On 24 April, police recovered an explosive device near Burail Jail in Chandigarh city.

However, it is not yet clear as to who is behind these activists and if these explosives have anything to do with the attack.

Political Parties Term Incident "Disturbing" and "Shocking"

Former Punjab State Chief Capt. Amarinder Singh expressed shock over the explosion and urged Mann to take strict action against the perpetrators.

Congress lawmaker Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa dubbed the explosion a sign of deep communalism.

Politician reacting after Mohali Blast

Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) head and Delhi State Chief Arvind Kejriwal took to Twitter and described the incident as an act of cowardice.

"Mohali blast is a cowardly act of those who want to disturb the peace of Punjab. Aam Aadmi Party's Punjab government will not allow those people's wishes to be fulfilled. Peace will be maintained under all circumstances with the cooperation of all the people of Punjab and the culprits will be punished severely," Kejriwal stated in a Hindi tweet.

Kejriwal's AAP is the new ruling party of Punjab.