Two arrested after grenade attack on Punjab police station, police allege Pakistan link

Two people have been arrested after a hand grenade was thrown at the City police station in Jalalabad in Punjab's Fazilka district, with police alleging that Pakistani agencies were behind the attack.

The explosion occurred at around 2 am on the intervening night of September 12 and 13 and damaged the windows of two vehicles parked inside the police station. The vehicles were old seized vehicles kept in police custody. No one was killed or injured in the incident.

The arrests came nearly 38 hours after the blast, following an investigation that initially did not establish what caused the explosion. Police later confirmed that it was a grenade attack after forensic examination and further investigation.

Two men arrested, more suspects identified

The arrested men have been identified as Gurpreet Singh, a resident of Hazara Ram Singh Wala, and Manpreet Singh, a resident of Ghubaya village in the Jalalabad subdivision, according to Punjab Police.

DIG, Punjab Police, Ferozepur Range, Snehdeep Sharma, and Fazilka SSP Gagan Ajit Singh disclosed the arrests at a press conference on Monday.

Police said the two men had allegedly been hired to carry out the attack. Investigators have also identified the people who allegedly supplied the grenade. Two more people suspected of involvement have been identified and are expected to be arrested, police said.

According to a separate account of the investigation, the two arrested suspects allegedly carried out the attack after being promised money, although police said they had not received any payment at the time of their arrest.

The two accused have been booked under Sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Explosive Substances Act.

Police allege Pakistan link

Police have alleged that Pakistani agencies were behind the attack and said the objective was to disturb peace in Punjab.

DIG Snehdeep Sharma said the police had cracked the network after working round the clock and were continuing efforts to identify everyone involved in the incident, including those who allegedly arranged and supplied the grenade.

The allegation of a Pakistan link is part of the police investigation and has not been independently established.

Police teams are continuing searches and examining CCTV footage and other evidence to reconstruct the sequence of events and establish the wider network allegedly connected to the attack.

Blast initially treated as unexplained

When the explosion occurred, police had not immediately confirmed that it was a grenade attack.

The blast took place near the main gate of the Jalalabad police station at around 2 am. Its impact damaged the windshields or windows of two vehicles parked inside the premises. The vehicles had been seized in connection with different cases and were being kept in police custody.

Superintendent of Police Satinder Kumar had initially said that the explosion had damaged the windows of two old vehicles and that forensic examination would be needed to determine its cause.

A forensic team subsequently examined the scene and collected samples and other evidence. Technical investigation later established that a hand grenade had been deliberately thrown into the police station premises.

There was no major structural damage reported to the police station and no casualties or significant injuries were reported.

Security and CCTV checks underway

Following the explosion, the police secured the area and restricted access to the station while forensic personnel examined the site.

Investigators have been checking CCTV footage from the police station and surrounding areas as part of the probe. Police are also examining other evidence to establish the complete sequence of events and determine how the attackers approached the premises and fled after the incident.

The blast had initially triggered concern in Jalalabad, a border town in Fazilka district. Residents reported hearing the explosion in the early hours, while police urged people not to panic and cautioned against relying on unverified information as the investigation was under way.

Opposition targets Bhagwant Mann government

The incident has also triggered criticism of the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government from opposition leaders.

Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal described the situation as a "total collapse of law and order in Punjab".

Senior Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia also attacked the state government, saying, "Punjab is in chaos. If police stations are unsafe, how can Punjabis be safe? It is the rule of gangsters, not a rule of law."

The political criticism comes as Punjab prepares for Assembly elections early next year.

The investigation into the Jalalabad attack remains under way, with police focusing on the alleged grenade suppliers, the two additional suspects already identified and the wider network that they believe may have been involved.