Explosion near India’s Golden Temple injures one

Monitoring Desk

AMRITSAR: Authorities have said Monday that a minor explosion took place on a heritage street — near Golden Temple — in Amritsar leaving one person injured and a car windshield damaged, Indian media reported.

The police have cordoned off the area and launched an investigation and began searching for other possible explosives in the area.

It was the second blast just a day after the first one which occurred Saturday night near Bansal sweet shop in which six people suffered injuries, according to the Times of India reports.

The second one took place at the same place but on the opposite side.

Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav arrived at the scene and said police were investigating from all aspects, said Indian Express.

“According to preliminary investigation, these were low-intensity blasts on the heritage street. We have been conducting a scientific investigation. Our forensic team is on the spot. We have not received a detonator or triggering mechanism from the spot. This indicates that the explosives used for the blast were kept inside a container,” said the senior police official.

The absence of a triggering mechanism means a crude kind of device was used, said Yadav

He also remarked that it is too early to say if it is mischief or if there is a terror angle, an organised attempt by some module, or some personal angle.

DG Police added: “We will not rule out any angle. We will deeply investigate all angles. We will also investigate the significance of the timing of the blast. We will examine if someone procured a locally available material to give a wrong impression about the law and order situation in Punjab.”

DG Yadav said Punjab Police are capable of managing peace and harmony.

“Transportation and everything here are normal. I appeal to the public not to get swayed by rumours. We do fact-check on social media channels to avoid such rumours. We will investigate CCTV footage and also question people on the spot at the time of the blast to investigate further. Both the blasts caused minor injuries to one person each,” he noted.