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By Manjeet Sehgal: The Amritsar Police has arrested five people in connection with the three blasts that took place between May 6 and May 10 near the Golden Temple complex.
DGP Punjab, Gaurav Yadav, said that the accused had sourced the explosive material from a firecracker dealer in the name of making crackers.
The accused wanted to make a stone bomb for which they mixed pebbles with the explosives. Soon after, they started preparing the stone bombs, to cause blasts at three different places.
The prime accused in the case, Azad Veer Singh, assembled the IED in the washroom of the Sarai (inn). The bomb exploded in the park behind the Sarai, around 12 o’clock on Wednesday, following which, the accused were arrested by the police.
The stone bombs were also used to cause blasts on May 6 and 8. These IEDs were placed in a container at Heritage parking lots.
The arrested accused told the police that the explosive material was kept in a polythene bag in a container at the parking lot on May 6, with a thick thread hanging from it.
After this on May 8, around 4.00 am, another bomb material was planted at the same parking lot.
Arrested persons, believed to be Khalistani radicals, told the police that they bought the material for making firecrackers and took a trial by putting stones in it.
Police have also recovered 1100 grams of explosive material/chemicals and some radical literature from the possession of the gang members.
Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav said that the arrested persons have confessed to their crimes. They were being interrogated to find out their links with the Khalistani terrorists. The police have also detained a woman who is being questioned to ascertain her role in the blasts.
The motive behind the three blasts was yet not clear.
DGP Gaurav Yadav said that self-radicalised men wanted to assert themselves. They deliberately chose a densely populated area to cause the blasts. The access leading to the Golden Temple complex was easy, as no frisking and checking were being done.
The accused, according to the police, were arrested on the basis of the CCTV footage and the mobile phone locations.
The police officials, refusing to divulge more details about the case, said that the initial interrogation has led to some startling revelations.
The accused were booked vide FIR number 49 / 2023 under section 9B of the Explosives Act, Section 3, 4, 5 (explosive material), and Section 13, 16, 18 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act besides 120B of IPC.
The arrested accused also hold a criminal background.
The prime accused, Azad Veer Singh, is facing a case under section 295A at Chheharata police station.
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