Third Blast Near Golden Temple In Amritsar, Punjab DGP Says 5 Arrested

Police personnel and forensic team members rushed to the site as another loud sound was heard near Sri Guru Ram Dass Niwas, in the vicinity of the Golden Temple in Amritsar.

Amritsar Police personnel guard at the site of a low-intensity blast that took plave near the Golden Temple in Amritsar, Thursday, May 11, 2023. The blast occured in the wee hours of Thursday.

Source : PTI

The Punjab Police said that the loud sound heard near Sri Guru Ram Dass Niwas, in the vicinity of the Golden Temple in Amritsar, in the wee hours on Thursday was the result of a low-intensity explosion, five accused were arrested in this regard. The sound was heard around 12.15-12.30 am, the police informed. Sri Guru Ram Dass Niwas is the oldest 'sarai' (lodge), as per news agency ANI. Punjab Police personnel and forensic team members rushed to the site of the incident after the blast was reported.

In a press conference, he revealed the names of the accused being Azadvir Singh, Amreek Singh, Sahib Singh, Harjeet Singh, and Dharmendra Singh. "Of them, three were involved in the sourcing of the explosives. One woman is also being questioned," the Punjab top cop said, as per ANI.

He informed that out of the five arrested accused, Azadvir Singh and Amreek Singh are the main perpetrators while Sahib Singh, Harjeet Singh, and Dharmendra Singh were responsible for supplying the explosives. "1.1 kg of low-intensity explosives have been recovered from them. An SIT will be formed by the commissioner of Police to get to the bottom of it," Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav stated.

Amritsar low intensity explosion cases solved

5 persons arrested

Press Conference will be held in #Amritsar @PunjabPoliceInd committed to maintaining peace and harmony in Punjab as per directions of CM @BhagwantMann

— DGP Punjab Police (@DGPPunjabPolice) May 11, 2023

ANI shared a CCTV image of the alleged suspect behind the low-intensity explosion citing Punjab Police sources.

Amritsar | Picture of the alleged suspect behind the low-intensity explosion that occurred near Golden temple, last night, as per Punjab Police sources. pic.twitter.com/BBBeLDaaIz

— ANI (@ANI) May 11, 2023

Earlier, while talking to the reporters, Commissioner of Police Naunihal Singh said, "A loud sound was heard at around 12.15-12.30 am. There's a possibility that it could be another explosion. It's being verified and is yet to be confirmed. We have found some pieces behind the building. But since it is dark we are trying to find out." "The suspects are being rounded up and the probe is on," he added, as quoted by ANI.

#WATCH | Punjab: A loud sound was heard near the Golden Temple in Amritsar. Police personnel and forensic team members are at the spot. Probe underway.

A person was injured in a blast on May 8 at Heritage Street near Golden Temple, the very site where an explosion took place on… pic.twitter.com/xkX725gn98

— ANI (@ANI) May 10, 2023

This is the third such incident in Amritsar after a person was injured in a blast on May 8 at Heritage Street near Golden Temple, the very site where an explosion took place on May 6 as well.

President of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) Harjinder Singh Dhami called the incident a "failure of the Punjab government".

"This is the failure of the Punjab govt. We will strengthen our own task force now. We urge police to hold a thorough probe into the matter," he told ANI when asked about three low-intensity explosions near Golden Temple in a week.

#WATCH | This is the failure of the Punjab govt. We will strengthen our own task force now. We urge police to hold a thorough probe into the matter: HS Dhami, Pres, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee on three low-intensity explosions near Amritsar's Golden Temple in a week pic.twitter.com/r7Yj7uFJ05

— ANI (@ANI) May 11, 2023

The SGPC President, accompanied by the police, also visited the spot where the explosion occurred.

Amritsar Blasts: Punjab Police Taking Help Of Agencies Like National Security Guard

Regarding the previous two blasts, Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav said the Punjab Police is taking the help of all agencies to probe the incidents that took place in the city within 30 hours, news agency PTI reported. A National Investigation Agency team visited and inspected the site of the second blast on Monday.

Punjab Police said that it has not found any trigger device or detonator from the area that may have been used.

"We are deeply investigating the Amritsar incident. We have not found any detonator or any such thing. Our forensic team is investigating," DGP Yadav said. "We are checking from all angles. If there is any mischief, any terror angle, or any personal motive, we will thoroughly investigate," he told reporters in Ludhiana, as per PTI.

The DGP had also said they were taking the help of all agencies like the National Security Guard. They (NSG) have specialisation in blast investigation, he mentioned.

"With the cooperation of all these (agencies), we want to find out what happened and what are the facts," Yadav said.

Previously, the senior cop, who visited Amritsar on Monday, also stated that it appeared the explosive was kept in a container. It was made very crudely and assembled and no shrapnel was used, he said.