Cops say IED used in Bathinda blast; toll rises to 6

The death toll in the Maur Mandi blast rose to six on Wednesday with three children succumbing to injuries, even as police suspected the use of improvised explosive device and sought NSG support in probe into the explosion which has triggered a political blame game just days ahead of assembly polls.

Three persons were killed on Tuesday in the explosion near the venue of the poll campaign of Congress candidate Harminder Singh Jassi at Maur Mandi.

“One more child has succumbed to injuries at CMC hospital in Ludhiana,” Bathinda Deputy Commissioner Ghanshyam Thori said on Wednesday, adding, the victim has been identified as Saurabh Singla, 13.

Earlier, Ripandeep, 9, and Japsimran, 14, died at the CMC hospital where they were admitted. Thirteen injured, three of them critically, are undergoing treatment at different hospitals.

Punjab Director General Police Suresh Arora along with other senior police officials Wednesday inspected the blast site. He said it was an ‘unfortunate incident’.

Arora said the Home Ministry has been requested to send experts of NSG to identify the material used in the explosion.

Asked whether the IED was used to carry out the blast, the DGP said one pressure cooker exploded in this incident while another was found at the spot. A forensic team has reached the site to probe the matter, he said.

On ‘terror angle’, he said, “Stating that this (terror) angle is not possible, it will be wrong to say at this moment. We are not ruling this possibility.”

Asked whether there was any input on the possibility of such a blast, the DGP said, “In the context of Punjab, there is always suspicion that anything could happen. That is why strict security arrangements were done... And now this incident happened.”

The Election Commission had sought a report from Punjab Police on the car explosion.

In the report submitted to the Punjab Chief Electoral Officer V K Singh, police blamed some ‘mischievous elements’ for the car blast with the help of IED, a state election official said.

The police investigation found two pressure cookers were to be used in carrying out the explosion, the official said.

“In the incident, one cooker exploded while other was found near the blast site,” the official said, adding circuit chip and shrapnel, nuts and bolts have also been recovered from the blast site.

The blast was so powerful that it ripped apart the car.

The EC directed the concerned officials in the state to step up vigil, tighten security and carry out inspection before the start of any poll campaign event in the state.

The Commission has also appealed to all the political parties not to make allegations against each other in connection with the blast in Bathinda.

“We have appealed to the political parties not to make allegations against each by raising car explosion issue till the election process is over,” official said.

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal condemned the blast and urged people to exercise calm and said those involved in it would be dealt with severely.

“Nobody would be allowed to disturb the hard-earned peace and communal harmony in the state," he had said earlier in the day.

Aam Aadmi Party convener Arvind Kejriwal demanded immediate arrest of Shiromani Akali Dal chief and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal to ensure peaceful elections.

“To ensure peaceful elections, Sukhbir Badal should be immediately arrested. His role in yesterday’s (Tuesday’s) blast be probed. He'll cause more violence," Kejriwal tweeted.

Sukhbir, on the other hand, alleged that the blast at Maur was a direct result of the ‘nexus between AAP and radical elements’.

Congress Punjab chief Amarinder Singh also blamed Kejriwal for the explosion saying he had been promoting extremist forces like Khalistan Commando Force in the state.

The Bathinda administration has written to the principal secretary to the chief minister for granting ex gratia of minimum Rs 3 lakh each for the family of the deceased and Rs 50,000 each for the injured.

The blast had occurred around 8.30 pm on Tuesday night shortly after the rally by Congress’ Harminder Singh Jassi.

Jassi, who is a relative of Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, escaped unhurt in the incident but his security guard Ram Babu, a Central Reserve Police Force personnel, was injured.

As per preliminary probe, the blast had occurred in a car which was found to be stolen and was bearing the registration number of a two-wheeler. The chassis and engine number of the vehicle was also struck off, police officials said.

The blast was so powerful that it ripped apart the vehicle. Initially, it was suspected that the blast was caused by a LPG cylinder in the car. But later it was found that the car did not run on gas.

Three passers-by who were killed on Tuesday evening have been identified as Harpal Singh Palli, 40, Barkha, 7, and Ashok Kumar, 35, police said.

16 persons had suffered injuries in the explosion which came ahead of the February 4 polls.

Out of 13 injured, Jaskaran Singh, 26, Amrik Singh, 26, and Ankush, 11, who are admitted to DMC hospital in Ludhiana, were stated as critical.

Remaining 10 injured have been admitted in different hospitals in Bathinda, official said.