Explosion Outside Amritsar Temple Sparks Panic, CCTV Captures Attack; Police Suspect External Involvement

Amritsar: A grenade explosion occurred outside the Thakur Dwar temple in the Khandwala area of Amritsar late Friday night, damaging the temple's walls and shattering window panes. No injuries were reported in the incident, but it has caused widespread panic among the residents.

According to police, the CCTV footage shows two unidentified individuals waiting outside the temple on a motorcycle. After some time, one of them threw an explosive object towards the temple before both suspects fled the scene on their motorcycle. The explosion occurred shortly after, leaving a trail of destruction at the temple.

Amritsar Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said that the incident took place around 12.35 am, and the police were informed about the explosion around 2 am by the temple priest. Bhullar, along with other senior police officials, arrived at the site, and forensic teams have collected samples for further investigation. "The suspects will be identified and arrested soon," Bhullar assured.

The police commissioner also suggested that the attack could be linked to external influences, stating, "We suspect that Pakistani agencies may be inciting local youth to carry out such attacks, as seen in previous cases. They are targeting vulnerable, poor youth for these activities."

Bhullar also warned the youth against being influenced by such agencies, stressing that they would face consequences for their actions.

Karanpreet Singh Monu, the Akali Dal district president and a local leader, condemned the attack, saying, "The law and order situation in Punjab is worsening. Earlier, there were attacks on police posts, but now, temples, which hold religious significance, are being targeted. This attack on a place of worship is shameful, especially on the day of Hola Mohalla when people are heading to Anadpur Sahib to celebrate."

Monu also criticised the police for not taking action earlier, stating that previous incidents had been dismissed with explanations like radiator or sensor explosions. "But this CCTV footage clearly shows that a grenade was thrown at the temple," he added.

The police are working to trace the attackers based on the CCTV footage. This attack follows a series of similar incidents targeting police posts in Amritsar and Gurdaspur over the past few months.