Mastermind had planned more blasts near Golden Temple, Amritsar: Cops

Tribune News Service

PK Jaiswar

Amritsar, May 22

Azadbir Singh, prime suspect in the series of low-intensity blasts case near the Golden Temple, was planning more such explosions near the shrine. This was revealed during police investigation.

He along with his four accomplices Amrik Singh, Dharminder Singh, Harjit Singh and firecracker trader Sahib Singh was produced in the local court after the expiry of the police remand. They were sent to judicial custody.

A senior police official said the police had confiscated 1.1kg of explosives from Azadbir’s possession during his arrest from Guru Ram Dass Serai in the Golden Temple complex following the third blast behind the serai on May 11.

“Had he not been arrested after the third blast, he would have planned more such blasts near the shrine,” he said, adding that they had learnt making crude bombs from Dharminder Singh, who was a small-time firecracker trader and known to Sahib Singh, a famous firecracker trader in the city.

During a trial, they had used stones and explosive material along with a container for preparing crude bomb. Encouraged after the successful attempt, Azadbir through Dharminder and Harjit Singh procured potassium and sulfur used in making firecrackers from Sahib Singh for Rs 5,000 and started preparing bombs, he said.

As per investigation, Azadbir and Amrik Singh were the prime accused in the blasts while Dharminder Singh, Harjit Singh and Sahib Singh had sourced the explosives. The duo had met at Darbar Sahib where they used to do volunteer service while Azadbir met Dharminder at a drug de-addiction centre. Four of the five suspects were drug addicts.

The motive behind the blasts were to show support to pro-Khalistani leader Amritpal Singh, who is lodged in Assam jail, besides making Punjab tobacco-free.

Besides explosives, the police had also recovered some provocative documents from their possession. The police have imposed the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, besides the Explosives Act and other sections of the IPC.

1.1 kg explosive seized from them

• The police had seized 1.1kg of explosives from Azadbir’s possession during his arrest from Guru Ram Dass Serai
• The police had also seized some provocative documents from the matermind and his accomplices
• The police had arrested them under UAPA, besides the Explosives Act

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