Punjab on alert after blast outside Jalandhar BSF HQ, Amritsar camp targeted
A scooter exploded and caught fire near the BSF headquarters in Jalandhar, and hours later, another blast was reported outside a BSF camp in Amritsar in the border state of Punjab.
Two back-to-back explosions rocked areas near Border Security Force (BSF) establishments in Punjab's Jalandhar and Amritsar, including one close to the BSF headquarters in the border state. While no casualties have been reported so far, Punjab Police and central agencies have launched an intensive investigation, and security has been heightened across the state.
The first blast occurred near the BSF headquarters at Jalandhar’s BSF Chowk when a parked scooter exploded in the busy locality. Eyewitnesses said the scooter caught fire moments after the explosion, triggering panic as people in the area ran for safety.
Hours later, late on Tuesday night, a second explosion took place in the Khasa area of Amritsar outside an Army camp located near BSF installations. Preliminary suspicion points to a motorcycle-borne assailant allegedly hurling a grenade at the site. The area is situated around 15 kilometres from the Attari-Wagah international border.
Amritsar Rural Police SP Aditya Warrier confirmed that the blast occurred between 10.30 pm and 11 pm outside the Army camp. Police and Army personnel were immediately rushed to the spot. “We are verifying the exact details. Forensic teams are also at the site and all aspects are being examined,” he said.
Exclusive CCTV footage from Jalandhar accessed by India Today captured the moment of the explosion, with flames erupting instantly and debris scattering across the road. A man standing near the scooter was seen running away immediately after the blast. Officials suspect some of the scattered fragments could be parts of the scooter itself.
Jalandhar Police Commissioner Dhanpreet Kaur said it was too early to determine the exact nature of the incident. "Prima facie, a scooter parked here caught fire. We are verifying all facts on the ground," she said, adding that CCTV footage was being analysed and the scooter rider, along with another individual, was being questioned.
The scooter rider was identified as 22-year-old Gurpreet Singh, who reportedly works as a delivery agent. According to his relatives, he regularly visited the area to deliver parcels and had approached the parked scooter when it suddenly caught fire.
The incidents have sparked political reactions, with Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring questioning the state’s security preparedness. In a post on X, Warring said, "Back-to-back blasts have shaken Punjab. Yesterday in Jalandhar, and now near Khasa Camp in Amritsar, this is deeply alarming. Repeated lapses point to a serious breakdown of intelligence and security."
Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia also targeted the Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government in Punjab, asking, "Has law and order in a border state collapsed?" He alleged that the incident was "not just a blast", but "a big slap on Punjab’s security".
The areas in both Jalandhar and Amritsar were cordoned off, with a heavy deployment of police personnel in place.
Two back-to-back explosions rocked areas near Border Security Force (BSF) establishments in Punjab's Jalandhar and Amritsar, including one close to the BSF headquarters in the border state. While no casualties have been reported so far, Punjab Police and central agencies have launched an intensive investigation, and security has been heightened across the state.
The first blast occurred near the BSF headquarters at Jalandhar’s BSF Chowk when a parked scooter exploded in the busy locality. Eyewitnesses said the scooter caught fire moments after the explosion, triggering panic as people in the area ran for safety.
Hours later, late on Tuesday night, a second explosion took place in the Khasa area of Amritsar outside an Army camp located near BSF installations. Preliminary suspicion points to a motorcycle-borne assailant allegedly hurling a grenade at the site. The area is situated around 15 kilometres from the Attari-Wagah international border.
Amritsar Rural Police SP Aditya Warrier confirmed that the blast occurred between 10.30 pm and 11 pm outside the Army camp. Police and Army personnel were immediately rushed to the spot. “We are verifying the exact details. Forensic teams are also at the site and all aspects are being examined,” he said.
Exclusive CCTV footage from Jalandhar accessed by India Today captured the moment of the explosion, with flames erupting instantly and debris scattering across the road. A man standing near the scooter was seen running away immediately after the blast. Officials suspect some of the scattered fragments could be parts of the scooter itself.
Jalandhar Police Commissioner Dhanpreet Kaur said it was too early to determine the exact nature of the incident. "Prima facie, a scooter parked here caught fire. We are verifying all facts on the ground," she said, adding that CCTV footage was being analysed and the scooter rider, along with another individual, was being questioned.
The scooter rider was identified as 22-year-old Gurpreet Singh, who reportedly works as a delivery agent. According to his relatives, he regularly visited the area to deliver parcels and had approached the parked scooter when it suddenly caught fire.
The incidents have sparked political reactions, with Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring questioning the state’s security preparedness. In a post on X, Warring said, "Back-to-back blasts have shaken Punjab. Yesterday in Jalandhar, and now near Khasa Camp in Amritsar, this is deeply alarming. Repeated lapses point to a serious breakdown of intelligence and security."
Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia also targeted the Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government in Punjab, asking, "Has law and order in a border state collapsed?" He alleged that the incident was "not just a blast", but "a big slap on Punjab’s security".
The areas in both Jalandhar and Amritsar were cordoned off, with a heavy deployment of police personnel in place.
