Jalandhar BSF Blast: Khalistani Group Claims Responsibility

Grenade also hurled at Amritsar Army camp as Punjab on high alert after Jalandhar BSF blast late Tuesday night.

A low-intensity blast rocked the area outside the Border Security Force (BSF) headquarters in Jalandhar late Tuesday evening, with a little-known Khalistani outfit claiming responsibility hours later. In a related incident, a grenade was lobbed at an Army camp in Amritsar's Khasa area, raising fears of a coordinated push by terror elements in Punjab.

No one was hurt in either attack, but the incidents triggered a swift security clampdown across the state.

Blast Near PAP Chowk

The Jalandhar explosion happened around 7:57 pm near PAP Chowk, just as the city braced for a visit by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. Eyewitnesses described a man walking up from the wrong side of the road, dropping a polythene-wrapped packet near a parked scooter, and bolting toward the bus stand.

Seconds later, the blast went off. A video circulating on social media captured the flash and smoke, showing a young man—believed to be the scooter's owner—running for cover.

Forensic teams sifted through the debris overnight, recovering remnants of what officials suspect was an improvised explosive device (IED). The scooter took the brunt, with its owner, former BSF jawan Kashmir Singh, insisting his son Gurpreet had nothing to do with it.

Courier Worker in the Spotlight

Gurpreet Singh, a courier delivery agent who'd parked the scooter outside the headquarters to pick up a parcel, found himself in custody for questioning. "He called a soldier at the gate and was waiting outside," Police Commissioner Dhanpreet Kaur told reporters, adding that the blast followed a fire on the vehicle.

Gurpreet recounted seeing a stranger walk by moments before the boom. He dashed to the gate after the explosion and has denied any role. His father, Kashmir Singh, who served in the BSF, pleaded innocence: "My son started this job just three months back. He couldn't be involved in anything anti-national."

Two youths who arrived on a scooter were also detained, sources said. The crime scene remains sealed.

Khalistani Claim Surfaces

Adding to the tension, a social media post purportedly from the Khalistan Liberation Army (KLA) owned up to the Jalandhar BSF blast. It issued direct threats to Border Range Deputy Inspector General Sandeep Goyal and his family, sources familiar with the matter said.

The post linked the attack to the March 2026 encounter of Ranjit Singh, accused in the Adiyan police outpost killings in Gurdaspur. Khalistani groups had cried foul over the operation, branding it "staged" and targeting DIG Goyal since.

Police are yet to verify the claim's authenticity.

Grenade Hits Amritsar Camp

Trouble didn't end there. Around 11 pm, two masked men on a motorcycle hurled a grenade at the Army camp in Khasa, Amritsar. The blast damaged tin sheds along the boundary wall between Gate No. 6 and 7, SSP Sohail Mir Qasim confirmed.

Security forces cordoned off the area immediately, with the site now taped off. No casualties, but the attack exposed vulnerabilities at key installations.

Security Agencies on Edge

These strikes come amid a reported uptick in IED use in Punjab, often tied to sleeper cells, investigators note. Questions swirl if the Jalandhar BSF blast was a lone hit or part of a broader plot eyeing crowded spots.

Preliminary probes point to possible escape help for the suspect—a second person lingering nearby, agencies believe. Punjab Police and central teams are digging deeper, with heightened patrols now in place.

Local authorities have urged the public to stay vigilant and report suspicious activity. As forensics wrap up, the focus shifts to nabbing those behind the Jalandhar BSF blast and Amritsar strike—before they strike again.