Amritsar blast kills suspected Khalistani terrorist during explosive retrieval: Police

A man suspected to be linked to a Khalistani terrorist organisation died in a blast near Majitha Road in Amritsar on Tuesday, police said. The explosion occurred in an abandoned area under Kambo police station limits in the Amritsar rural district.

According to Amritsar Rural SSP Maninder Singh, the blast took place while the man was allegedly retrieving explosive material, which may have detonated due to mishandling.

"We suspect the injured person is one of the accused who came to retrieve a consignment and mishandled an explosive," Singh told news agency ANI, adding that such locations have previously been used by anti-national elements for similar retrievals.


The injured man was rushed to the hospital, where he later succumbed.

DIG Border Range Satinder Singh also confirmed the death..

“Prima facie, the case looks clear. Of the six persons injured, one has died. In investigations of past blast cases, we’ve found that explosives were often hidden in abandoned areas for later retrieval. It appears that the blast happened during such an attempt," Singh told news agency PTI.


The DIG further added, “Based on the evidence so far, it is clear that the person was a member of a terrorist organisation. One or two terror outfits may be linked to the incident, but further investigation is underway.”

A forensic science laboratory (FSL) team has reached the spot to determine whether the explosive used was a grenade or an improvised explosive device (IED).

Authorities are continuing to investigate the possibility of a larger terror link, though an official confirmation on the group involved is still awaited.