ISLAMABAD: Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav has alleged that the grenade attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party office in Chandigarh was not a random act but a meticulously sponsored and planned operation by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence.
The senior officer disclosed the chilling details during a high-profile press conference in Chandigarh on Sunday, confirming the full dismantling of the terror module.
Investigations have established that the attack was ISI-backed and directed by handlers operating from European soil.
Portugal-based Baljot Singh alias Jot and Germany-based Harjeet Singh Laadi motivated the accused through social media channels.
The foreign operatives promised the module members a monetary reward of Rs 2 lakh for executing the strike.
The low-intensity grenade blast occurred on April 1 outside the BJP office in Sector 37, Chandigarh, with no casualties reported.
Gurtej Singh first contacted the Portugal-based handler approximately six months ago via social media platforms.
He recruited Amanpreet Singh and the duo conducted reconnaissance before launching the assault.
On March 28 the accused collected arms and explosives from Jasvir Singh alias Jassi at Bharapur village in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district.
The consignment included two grenades, a .30 bore Zigana pistol and 10 live cartridges.
Amanpreet Singh hurled the hand grenade while Gurtej Singh filmed the incident on his mobile phone as per handler instructions.
Both perpetrators fled the scene immediately after the attack.
The Counter-Intelligence wing of Punjab Police, in joint operation with Chandigarh Police and Haryana Police STF, arrested the first five accused on April 4.
The remaining two main perpetrators, Gurtej Singh and Amanpreet Singh, were nabbed from Rewari in Haryana on Sunday.
All seven accused are now in custody, completing the operation within 48 hours of the initial arrests and four days of the blast.
The accused include Balwinder Lal alias Shami from Majari village, Jasvir Singh alias Jassi from Bharapur, Charanjit Singh alias Channi from Sujawalpur, Rubal Chauhan from Thana in Shimla district, and Mandeep alias Abhijot Sharma from Dhuri in Sangrur.
Amanpreet Singh carries a prior criminal record with FIRs for theft and snatching registered in Mohali and Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh.
Recoveries from the module comprise one live hand grenade, the Zigana pistol and 10 cartridges, providing irrefutable evidence of the conspiracy.
The module functioned through a structured network of multiple cutouts and sub-modules designed for operational secrecy.
DGP Yadav, flanked by ADGP Counter Intelligence Amit Prasad, ADGP Internal Security SK Verma, IGP Intelligence Dr Sukhchain Singh Gill and AIG SSOC Mohali Deepak Pareek, described the plot as part of ISI efforts to activate sleeper cells in Punjab.
Such targeted strikes aim to create communal tension and destabilise the state ahead of assembly elections.
Further investigations continue to map all forward and backward linkages in this cross-border conspiracy.
The rapid crackdown underscores the effectiveness of intelligence-led operations against external threats.
This case highlights the ISI’s sophisticated strategy of using European-based handlers to maintain distance while directing attacks on Indian soil.
The meagre incentive of Rs 2 lakh exposes how foreign agencies exploit vulnerable local elements for high-risk missions.
Punjab Police have appealed for public vigilance against online radicalisation attempts by similar modules.
The swift resolution within days of the incident stands as a major success for regional security forces.
No injuries occurred, yet the symbolic targeting of a major political office has sent shockwaves through the establishment.
DGP Yadav assured continued commitment to peace and security, vowing zero tolerance for terror activities.
The arrests have neutralised an active threat, preventing potential escalation by the same network.
Regional media reports uniformly authenticate the police claims of direct ISI sponsorship through the identified European handlers.
This breakthrough adds to the pattern of foreign-backed modules being busted in the border region in recent months.
The operation demonstrates Punjab Police’s proactive stance in countering cross-border designs aimed at disturbing communal harmony.