CHANDIGARH: A low intensity blast was reported outside the Punjab Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office on Wednesday, triggering tensions. No persons were injured in the incident.
The blast occurred around 5 pm outside the Punjab BJP office in Chandigarh's Sector 37. In the blast, the windshield of a car and a scooter parked near the building were damaged as some shrapnel fragments have been recovered.
Senior police officials, including Senior Superintendent of Police Kanwardip Kaur, rushed to the scene and assessed the situation. Kaur said, "Prima facie, it appears that a small crude-type device was thrown. Around 5 pm, we got information of a sound outside the BJP office in Sector-37, we responded, we reached in 10 minutes. Our crime branch and the operation cell also reached here," she said.
A team of Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL), as part of the investigation, are examining the shrapnel recovered from the site. A team of the National Investigation Agency also reached the site to investigate the blast.
The exact cause and nature of the explosion remain unclear. The explosion, believed to have originated from a stack of sand near the two-wheeler, prompted BJP representatives to immediately alert the police.
Police sources said that the attack is suspected to be carried out by two men who arrived on a motorcycle got down and allegedly hurled a crude bomb.
The police had cordoned off the adjoining area and the CCTV footage from nearby locations is being scanned to identify the suspects and trace their movement.
An unverified video believed to be linked to the incident is circulating on social media, showing a person with a helmet in his hand and the other person recording the video, throwing an explosive object resembling a grenade, said sources.
The area is a busy lane with several important establishments including the Law Bhavan, a blood bank and a petrol pump.
Terming that a blast taking place near the party office is a matter of concern, Punjab BJP leader and state media-in-charge, Vineet Joshi said, "We heard the sound of the explosion. How did it take place? We could see some signs on the boundary wall. It is a matter of concern if a blast took place outside the party office."
Former Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh wrote on X, "Deeply shocked and concerned to hear the news about the blast outside the Bharatiya Janata Party office in Chandigarh. I urge the concerned authorities to conduct a swift and thorough investigation and ensure strict action against those responsible," he said.