Haryana blasts linked to Punjab militancy

The spate of four low intensity serial blasts in Haryana in the last few months has baffled the Central intelligence agencies who feel that the move could be linked to the revival of militancy in neighbouring Punjab and subversive elements could be carrying out “trial runs” in Haryana for this purpose. Punjab is headed for the Assembly elections early next year and security agencies feel that efforts are being made to revive militancy in the state.

The Intelligence Bureau and the National Investigation Agency, along with the intelligence units of the Haryana and Punjab state police, have launched a major investigation into the serial explosions. “One of the main angles from which investigations are being conducted is the revival of militancy in Punjab and there is a possibility that the Haryana blasts are a trial run for the same,” a senior intelligence official said.

Intelligence agencies have already sent an input to Canada claiming that some pro-Khalistan terrorists have organised a camp near Mission in British Columbia with plans to revive militancy in Punjab. The report also mentions that one Hardeep Nijjar is now heading the Khalistan Terror Force (KTF) and is in the process of setting up terror modules in the state.

Investigations conducted so far have revealed that the quality of the low-intensity improvised explosive devices used in the serial blasts has improved since January. In addition, three blasts took place in May in Kurukshetra, Panipat and Fatehabad.

In at least three of the explosives a timer device, batter and a chemical like potassium chlorate, aluminium powder and sulphur were used.

Attempts to revive militancy in Punjab were also revealed when the state police arrested an alleged KTF militant, Mandeep Singh, last month from Ludhiana following technical surveillance as he had been making regular phone calls to Gajinder Singh of terror outfit Dal Khalsa in Pakistan as well as Hardeep Nijjar in Canada.

“The Haryana blasts are being conducted on a mere experimental basis and there is a bigger game plan behind it. We are conducting investigations from all possible angles, including the Punjab one. We are in the process of comparing the explosives used in Haryana with other low-intensity blasts carried out in other parts of the country as this would give an indication of the kind of group involved in the incident,” the official said.