Amritsar blast: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh blamed Pakistan's ISI
Highlights
- Says one person arrested for attack at prayer hall on Sunday
- Says this is a pure case of terrorism, no communal angle to incident
- 3 people were killed, 20 injured as men on bike threw a grenade
The grenade used for Sunday's attack at a prayer hall in Amritsar, which killed three people, was made in Pakistan, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said today. "There is no communal case in this. This is a pure case of terrorism. ISI (Pakistan intelligence agency) is resorting to all these sort of things," Mr Singh told reporters today.
A man has been arrested for the attack, a hunt is on for the other, the Chief Minister said. The arrested man has been identifies as Bikramjit Singh. "A search for another accused, Avtar Singh, is on," Mr Singh said.
Comparing the granade used in the attack with ones recovered from other areas, Mr Singh said, "This is the one being used against forces in Kashmir... This is the one that was burst... made under license by Pakistan licensed factory and is filled with pellets".
Three people were killed and 20 injured in the attack at the Nirankari Bhawan at Amritsar's Rajasansi village.
Around 20 people were also injured as two men on a bike, their faces covered, threw a grenade at the Nirankari Bhawan at Amritsar's Rajasansi village on Sunday morning. Like every Sunday, a religious ceremony was on at the time. Eyewitnesses said the men had threatened the devotees with a gun before flinging the explosive into the prayer hall.
The police had initially said they were also investigating the possible involvement of terrorists supporting the demand for Khalistan. Several people from Sikh separatist organisations were detained for questioning.
All victims were sect followers from nearby villages who had gathered for the weekly religious meeting.
But the Chief Minister said today that Pakistani intelligence agency ISI was behind the attack. "The mastermind of the attack is Pakistan's ISI. Pakistan's agenda is to disturb peace here," the chief minister said.
Pakistan, the Chief Minister said, has been habitually trying to stir up trouble in Punjab, the state next to the border. The people, he said, "were easy targets and they were targeted".