LUDHIANA: In less than 24 hours, the Punjab Police has managed to crack the the Ludhiana Court Bomb Blast case after zeroing in on the identity of the deceased as Gagandeep Singh (31) of Khanna, who was recruited in Punjab Police as constable and dismissed in August 2019 after 385 gm of heroin was recovered from his possession.
“I am Proud of the Punjab Police, who have successfully cracked the Ludhiana blast case in less than 24 hours, ” said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Siddharth Chattopadhyaya, while addressing a press conference here at Punjab Police Headquarters on Saturday.
As per the information, a high intensity explosion occurred in a public toilet at the District Court Complex in Ludhiana on Thursday, which left one person dead and six other persons injured. The district court was functioning as usual, when the blast took place and it was so powerful, that the public toilet was damaged and several window panes of the building were shattered.
DGP Siddharth Chattopadhyaya said that during the course of post mortem the Police were able to identify the deceased from his tattoo mark on the right arm. Separately, the DNA samples of the body were also collected, he added.
He said that accused Gagandeep Singh was working as a Munshi at PS Sadar Khanna, when he was arrested with heroin and an NDPS case was registered at Police Station STF SAS Nagar, Mohali. The case is under trial at the prosecution evidence stage, said the DGP.
He said that after having spent two years in Ludhiana Jail in the said case, he got out from Ludhiana jail on bail in the month of September 2021 and he was to appear in the court again on December 24, 2021.
The DGP said that preliminary investigations suggest that accused Gagandeep wanted to create fear and panic at the court premises.
Not ruling out the Pak-based Pro-Khalistan connection behind this act, the DGP said that the Police are investigating this case from all angles. “Preliminary investigations suggests that accused Gagandeep could have developed links with Pro-Khalistan elements in the jail, who have used him to target the Court premises with intention to disturb the peace of the State, ” said DGP Siddharth Chattopadhyaya, while answering to Journalist’s question.
The DGP said that the material used for the explosion is yet to be ascertained as samples have been sent to the forensic lab. “A team of NSG and that of the state forensic experts were called for a post blast investigation, ” he said.
During the course of systematic clearing of debris at the blast site, the forensic team collected some vital clues like damaged mobile set and burnt clothes on the body of the deceased besides other material evidence, the DGP added.
Notably, the DGP has also personally visited the Court Complex, where the blast took place and had a meeting with District and Sessions Judge, Ludhiana and reviewed the security arrangements. The DGP also held the meeting with field officers on Friday and directed them to keep utmost vigil to prevent any further terror attack in the state.
According to the accused Gagandeep’s wife Jaspreet Kaur Gagandeep had left home at about 9.30am on the day of the blast and his mobile was switched off ever since. She recognised the tattoo mark on the arm of Gagandeep and the apparel worn by him.
Meanwhile, an FIR dated December 23, 2021 has already been registered under sections 302, 307 and 124-A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and various sections of Explosive Substances Act, Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act at Police Station Division No. 5, Ludhiana.