Punjab Police on Tuesday said an ISI-backed Khalistan terror plot was foiled in Patiala district after a suspected saboteur was killed while planting an improvised explosive device (IED) on the railway tracks of the dedicated freight corridor late Monday night. Four members of the terror module were arrested within 12 hours of the incident.
Blast Details and Casualties
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Varun Sharma described it as a low-intensity explosion. The deceased was identified as Jagroop Singh, 35, a resident of Panjwar village in Tarn Taran district. Among the four arrested suspects is Jagroop's younger brother, Satnam Singh. Police said the IED detonated prematurely around 9 pm near Bathonia village, blowing Jagroop to pieces and damaging a section of the rail tracks. Some body parts were still being collected at the site on Tuesday noon, according to Government Railway Police (GRP) sources.
Evidence and Investigation
Investigators recovered wires, suspected explosive materials, a damaged mobile phone, and a SIM card from the blast site. A train ticket found among Jagroop's belongings indicated he had traveled from Amritsar to Sirhind by train before proceeding to the blast location. CCTV footage showed him parking a motorcycle at Amritsar station and boarding the train. The motorcycle has been confiscated. GRP SHO Patiala Dilbagh Singh said, "From Sirhind, Jagroop probably traveled by bus to Rajpura or Shambu, but no bus ticket was found. The blast spot is 6 km from Shambu railway station and around 10 km from Rajpura. The explosion occurred after a goods train had just passed; the loco pilot felt a jerk." He added that there was very little damage to the tracks. GRP AIG Amarpreet Singh Ghumman confirmed that the train managed to pass safely as the lines were not severely damaged.
Links to Pro-Khalistan Elements
Sources revealed that Jagroop, who was married with two daughters, had campaigned for Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh, currently lodged in Dibrugarh jail in Assam. Clean-shaven while working in Dubai, he adopted Sikh practices later in life and identified as a 'Nihang Singh'. SSP Varun Sharma said, "Jagroop's body was found in Nihang attire. His links with his brother Satnam were detected through call data recovered from his SIM card, technical evidence, and interrogation. Three of the four arrested had prior criminal records. The funds trail is being investigated."
Arrests and Seizures
The other suspects were identified as Pardeep Singh Khalsa and Kulwinder Singh alias Bagga from Mansa, and Gurpreet Singh alias Gopi from Tarn Taran. DIG-Patiala Range Kuldeep Singh Chahal and SSP Sharma stated that Pardeep was the module's kingpin, maintaining close contact with a Malaysia-based pro-Khalistan terrorist and Pakistan-based arms suppliers. He formed a radical organization named 'Chalda Vaheer Chakarwarti, Attariye' and is accused of sending radicalized youth to Malaysia for terror training before assigning them missions. Police seized a hand grenade, two .30 caliber pistols with ammunition, sophisticated communication devices intended for detonations, and laptops from the suspects.
Legal Proceedings and Security Measures
An FIR was registered at Kotwali Patiala police station for organized crime and offenses under the Explosive Substances Act, Arms Act, and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. A separate case was filed under the Railways Act at GRP Patiala police station. Police are investigating claims of a group taking responsibility for the blast. One aspect fast-tracked is determining whether those arrested were linked to a similar explosion in January that injured a loco pilot and derailed a goods engine in Sirhind, just 35 km from Monday's blast site. An NIA probe is likely given the conspiracy's scale and cross-border dimensions. Security has been reinforced at major railway stations including Ambala Cantonment, Rajpura, and Patiala, with intelligence agencies on high alert. GRP teams swiftly repaired the damaged track, and freight movement was restored within a few hours.
