A scooter parked near the BSF Chowk in Punjab's Jalandhar district caught fire on Tuesday evening, causing panic in the vicinity, though no injuries were reported, according to police officials.
Incident Details
The incident took place around 8 pm on the busy road outside the Punjab Frontier headquarters of the Border Security Force (BSF). This road serves as a key link between the main city and the Amritsar-New Delhi national highway. The scooter was completely destroyed by the fire, officials confirmed.
A police patrol team was in the area when the fire broke out. Senior police officers, along with forensic experts, a dog squad, and a bomb disposal team, arrived at the scene to assess the situation. The area has been cordoned off for safety and investigation purposes.
Investigation Underway
Jalandhar Police Commissioner Dhanpreet Kaur told PTI that it is too early to determine whether a blast had occurred. "Prima facie, the facts are that an Activa (scooter) parked here caught fire. We are still verifying the facts on the ground," she said.
The impact of the explosion scattered debris several metres around and damaged a traffic light pole. Forensic teams have been collecting vital evidence and samples from the spot. Police have been questioning Gurpreet Singh, the owner of the scooter. He informed police that the mechanical service of his vehicle was due and that he worked for a delivery company. He had parked the vehicle outside the BSF headquarters after delivering an order, officials said.
Security Concerns
The incident comes a day before Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is scheduled to visit Jalandhar during his 'Shukrana Yatra' on Wednesday and stay at his official residence in Old Baradari.
Authorities are treating the matter with utmost seriousness given the sensitive location near a security establishment. Further updates are expected as the investigation progresses.
