The fourth accused in the petrol bomb attack on a homoeopathic clinic opposite the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) office on Mela Ram Road in Bathinda on the night of June 22 has been arrested. Identified as Harjinder Singh, a resident of Jiwan Wala village in Faridkot district, he was taken into custody by police.
Alleged Links to ISI-Backed Terrorist
According to sources, Harjinder procured the phone number of an ISI-backed terrorist in Pakistan through social media. He later shared this number with his cousin, Sandeep Kumar, a BA-III student from Khuian Sarwar village in Fazilka district, who had already been arrested in the case. The aim was to earn easy money.
Criminal Background of Harjinder's Brother
Harjinder's brother, Sukhjit, is currently lodged in Sunaria Jail in Haryana and faces around 12 criminal cases. These include one related to the murder of two gangsters who had been arrested in connection with the murder of singer Shubhdeep Singh, alias Sidhu Moosewala, and were lodged in Goindwal Sahib Central Jail in Tarn Taran district in 2023. Harjinder himself is already facing an FIR.
Previous Arrests in the Case
Two other accused, Nikhil Kumar and Gurwinder Singh, both school dropouts and daily-wage workers from Khuian Sarwar village in Fazilka district, were earlier arrested by the local police in a joint operation with the Counter Intelligence wing. According to police, the two had come to hurl two bottles filled with an inflammable liquid but managed to throw only one after some people came out onto the street.
Threats to Clinic Owner's Wife
Almost two hours after the blast, which damaged a scooty and some plants in the courtyard, the clinic owner's wife, Dr. Rajni Jindal, a BJP candidate in the recently held municipal elections, claimed that she had received a WhatsApp call in which the caller identified himself as Shahzad Bhatti. She later received two messages from the same number. Shahzad is a Pakistan-based terrorist.
Police Investigation and Reward
Bathinda SP (City) Narinder Singh said that four accused had been arrested so far and that efforts were underway to nab one more person. However, he refused to divulge further details. Meanwhile, sources said that the accused were promised Rs 10 lakh for carrying out the attack but had so far received only Rs 5,000.
