Himachal Pradesh IED blast: Punjab cops suspect Pakistani plot; Babbar Khalsa, PSA claim responsibility
CHANDIGARH: Punjab Police suspect that the explosion in Nalagarh in Himachal Pradesh was a blast likely carried out at the behest of Pakistan-based Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to create disturbance in the region located north-west of Delhi and to the south of the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir as a planned strategy.
Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and Punjab Sovereignty Alliance (PSA), in a purported press note that surfaced on Thursday, claimed responsibility for the blast.
The purported joint press note by BKI and PSA claimed that the planning of the mission and its execution was carried out by Gopi Nawanshehria and Kabal Singh. Notably, US-based Gopi Nawanshehria claimed responsibility for a number of blasts targeting police establishments in Punjab since November 2024.
BKI and PSA purportedly claimed that “IED blast at police station in Nalagarh was carried out by our brave soldiers because the synthetic drug manufactured in Himachal Pradesh was being sent to Punjab.” Notably, the Baddi-Nalagarh region in Himachal Pradesh is a pharmaceutical hub.
The “press note” read, “Despite the police administration being aware of this, no action was taken, and the youth were being killed by drugs, and that is why we had to give an answer.”
It warned that “if the administration still did not wake up or did not take action [against drugs], the next time IED would be planted on police vehicles and headquarters, and the answer which will be given will be beyond comprehension.”
A senior Punjab Police officer told the TOI, “It seems to be the handiwork of those elements who carried out blasts in Punjab. It is all being done at the behest of the ISI in an attempt to destabilise the region north-west of Delhi and south of Jammu & Kashmir. As far as ideological reasons citing drugs have been mentioned, it is all a farce. The gullible youth are hired by foreign-based handlers to get such blasts carried out for a sum of money. There is no ideology in this.”
The officer said Punjab Police got in touch with Himachal Pradesh Police to get details of the explosion, including photos and any CCTV footage of the area.
The officer said, “While we are looking into the claim made by the BKI and PSA taking responsibility for the blast, the responsibility claimed by the 2 organisations in the past in similar blasts in Punjab suggests that they are likely to have carried out the blast at the behest of the ISI.”
Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and Punjab Sovereignty Alliance (PSA), in a purported press note that surfaced on Thursday, claimed responsibility for the blast.
The purported joint press note by BKI and PSA claimed that the planning of the mission and its execution was carried out by Gopi Nawanshehria and Kabal Singh. Notably, US-based Gopi Nawanshehria claimed responsibility for a number of blasts targeting police establishments in Punjab since November 2024.
BKI and PSA purportedly claimed that “IED blast at police station in Nalagarh was carried out by our brave soldiers because the synthetic drug manufactured in Himachal Pradesh was being sent to Punjab.” Notably, the Baddi-Nalagarh region in Himachal Pradesh is a pharmaceutical hub.
The “press note” read, “Despite the police administration being aware of this, no action was taken, and the youth were being killed by drugs, and that is why we had to give an answer.”
It warned that “if the administration still did not wake up or did not take action [against drugs], the next time IED would be planted on police vehicles and headquarters, and the answer which will be given will be beyond comprehension.”
A senior Punjab Police officer told the TOI, “It seems to be the handiwork of those elements who carried out blasts in Punjab. It is all being done at the behest of the ISI in an attempt to destabilise the region north-west of Delhi and south of Jammu & Kashmir. As far as ideological reasons citing drugs have been mentioned, it is all a farce. The gullible youth are hired by foreign-based handlers to get such blasts carried out for a sum of money. There is no ideology in this.”
The officer said Punjab Police got in touch with Himachal Pradesh Police to get details of the explosion, including photos and any CCTV footage of the area.
The officer said, “While we are looking into the claim made by the BKI and PSA taking responsibility for the blast, the responsibility claimed by the 2 organisations in the past in similar blasts in Punjab suggests that they are likely to have carried out the blast at the behest of the ISI.”
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