Himachal Nalagarh Police Station Blast: NIA Arrests Three More From Punjab; Probe Into Wider Terror Network Underway
Investigation is underway to ascertain the precise roles of the accused, identify other persons involved and uncover the full extent of the criminal network behind.
Published : September 1, 2026 at 8:53 AM IST
New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested three more persons in connection with the January 1 IED explosion at Nalagarh police station in Himachal Pradesh, taking the total number of arrestees to six.
The arrests are part of the NIA's ongoing investigation to unravel the larger conspiracy behind the terror attack, identify all those involved and trace the wider network and linkages associated with the blast, officials said.
Those arrested on Monday have been identified as Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh Kandola, resident of Mohalla Sirhindiya in Punjab's Rahon; Karanpartap, a resident of Mohalla Rota in Rahon; and Diljot Saini, a resident of Jhansi Park Colony, also from Rahon.
According to NIA, the trio was already in custody in connection with a case (FIR No. 11/2026) registered at Garhshankar police station in Punjab before being arrested by the agency in the Nalagarh blast case.
Officials said the explosion occurred at around 9:40 AM (on January 1, 2026) near the outer wall adjoining the room of the Investigating Officer within the premises of Nalagarh police station in Himachal's Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh (BBN). Following the incident, police had reported that the blast damaged windows of the police station's storeroom and a nearby building. Fortunately, there were no casualties.
A case was initially registered (FIR No. 02/2026) at Nalagarh station , Himachal Pradesh under various provisions of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Explosive Substances Act.
Following the blast, the area was sealed and forensic teams were deployed to collect evidence. The State Forensic Science Laboratory (SFSL) team collected samples from the site, while investigators examined CCTV footage to establish the circumstances surrounding the explosion. Later, two terrorist organisations claimed responsibility for the explosion, but the claims could not be confirmed.
The local police then contacted the Punjab Police and the NIA as the probe expanded beyond Himachal Pradesh. At the time, officials said all possible angles were being examined.
The investigation was subsequently taken over by NIA, which re-registered the case on May 8 under relevant provisions of the BNS, the Explosive Substances Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Earlier, Mahavir Kumar alias Kaka, Ajay Mehra and Manpreet Singh alias Mani were arrested in connection with the case. The three were initially arrested by the Punjab Police in connection a case filed with State Special Operation Cell (SSOC), Mohali, and were subsequently arrested by the NIA in the Nalagarh case.
With the arrest of Arshdeep, Karanpartap and Diljot Saini, the number of accused arrested in connection with the Nalagarh IED explosion has now risen to six.
The agency is now probing the precise roles allegedly played by the accused, their links with one another and the possibility of involvement of other persons in the conspiracy. Further investigation is underway to uncover the full extent of the criminal network behind the attack, NIA said.
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