Mohali blast: Punjab Police recover launcher used in attack; several suspects rounded up

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said the strictest punishment will be meted out to those trying to spoil the state’s atmosphere.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Director-General of Police (DGP) VK Bhawra said they have got a few leads in the case
• The rocket-propelled grenade was fired at the third floor of the highly-guarded building in Mohali
• An alert was sounded in Punjab soon after the incident

A day after a rocket-propelled grenade was fired at its intelligence wing headquarters in Mohali, the Punjab Police on Tuesday said it has recovered the launcher used in the attack and that a number of suspects have been rounded up. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said the strictest punishment will be meted out to those trying to spoil the state’s atmosphere.

Director-General of Police (DGP) VK Bhawra said they have got a few leads and the case will be solved soon.

“A number of suspects have been rounded up and questioned. The launcher used in the attack has been recovered by the police and all leads developed in the case are being pursued meticulously,” a statement issued by the Mohali police said.

The rocket-propelled grenade was fired at the third floor of the highly-guarded building in Mohali’s Sector 77 at 7:45 pm on Monday, following which an alert was sounded in Punjab.

A case under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Explosives Act has been lodged at Mohali’s Sohana police station in connection with the incident.

The case was registered on the basis of the statement of sub-inspector Balkar Singh, the security in-charge of the intelligence wing headquarters.

In his statement, the sub-inspector said he heard the sound of an explosion on the third floor of the building and when he went there, he saw smoke coming out of room number 41.

He said a projectile, after hitting the wall and breaking the window panes, hit the roof of the room before falling on a chair.

Mohali blast: CM Bhagwant Mann convenes meeting

Earlier in the day, the chief minister held a meeting with the DGP and top officials of the intelligence wing and directed the state police chief to probe the matter thoroughly.

Mann said nobody would be allowed to disturb the peaceful atmosphere in Punjab, adding that a few inimical forces are constantly trying to foment trouble across the state, but they will never succeed in their nefarious designs.

During the meeting, the DGP apprised the chief minister that a few suspects have been taken into custody for interrogation.

“Some arrests have been made and more will be made,” Mann said after the meeting, apparently referring to the people who have been rounded up for questioning.

“Whoever tries to spoil the atmosphere of Punjab will not be spared and the strictest punishment will be given to them, which their coming generations will remember,” the chief minister said.

Later, after a meeting with senior officials at the intelligence wing headquarters, Bhawra told reporters in Mohali that a projectile had hit the building and the explosive used in it seems to be TNT (trinitrotoluene).

(With inputs from PTI)

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