In a significant breakthrough, Punjab Police, in collaboration with central intelligence agencies, have cracked the case of the grenade blast that shook Chandigarh last Wednesday. The investigation has unveiled that the attack was orchestrated by ISI-backed terrorists, linking the incident to international terrorist networks.
On Friday, authorities apprehended Rohan Masih, a resident of Passia village in Amritsar, identified as one of the key architects of the attack. The arrest was a culmination of intensive investigative efforts led by Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav. During the operation, the police recovered a sophisticated 9MM Glock pistol along with ammunition from Masih’s residence, underscoring the severity of the planned attack.
The incident unfolded on Wednesday evening in Sector 10, Chandigarh, when two unidentified assailants hurled a hand grenade into a residential building. Surveillance footage and forensic evidence traced the perpetrators’ entry to an auto-rickshaw, from which one of them launched the explosive device.
“The grenade used was military-grade equipment, illicitly smuggled across the border via drones with assistance from the ISI,” DGP Yadav revealed. He further disclosed that another key conspirator, Harpreet Singh, alias Happy Passia, based in the USA, has been identified, and efforts are ongoing to bring him to justice.
Initial investigations indicate that Rohan Masih had been operating in Jammu and Kashmir in recent years. Under the direction of Harpreet Singh, a known associate from his native village, Masih was tasked with executing the attack in exchange for financial gains. During interrogation, Masih confessed to his role, admitting that Passia supplied the grenade and weapons, as well as managing the finances and logistics necessary for the operation.
Assistant Inspector General (AIG) Sukhminder Singh Mann of the State Special Operation Cell (SSOC) in Amritsar provided further insights into the suspects’ movements post-attack. Following the grenade blast, Rohan and his accomplice initially fled to Amritsar before diverging paths. Masih then traveled to Khanna but was subsequently apprehended in Amritsar before he could make his way to Jammu and Kashmir.
Mann highlighted that the attack appeared to target a specific individual, noting that the same terrorist faction had attempted a similar assault at the same location the previous year. That earlier attempt was thwarted by Punjab Police, resulting in the arrest of two operatives, Bikramjit Singh alias Raja from Batala and Bawa Singh from Majitha.
The joint operation marks a pivotal victory for law enforcement agencies in their ongoing battle against terrorism. DGP Yadav assured the public that investigations are intensifying, with coordinated efforts between Chandigarh Police and central agencies aiming to dismantle the entire conspiracy network behind the grenade blast.
As authorities continue to piece together the full extent of the plot, the arrest of Rohan Masih serves as a testament to the relentless pursuit of justice by Punjab Police and their central counterparts.
