Punjab Blasts Trigger Political Row: CM Bhagwant Mann Alleges BJP Plot, DGP Points to Pakistan-Backed Conspiracy
A fresh political storm erupted in Punjab on Wednesday after two explosions near Border Security Force (BSF) installations in Jalandhar and Amritsar sparked sharply contrasting reactions from Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and the state’s Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav.
While Mann alleged that the incidents were politically motivated and hinted at a larger conspiracy linked to the BJP’s electoral ambitions in Punjab, the state police chief suggested that the blasts appeared to be part of a Pakistan-backed attempt to destabilise the border state and create fear among the public.
The twin explosions, which took place near sensitive security installations, triggered immediate concern among security agencies and led to heightened alertness across Punjab.
Fortunately, no casualties or major injuries were reported in either incident.
The first blast occurred near the BSF headquarters at BSF Chowk in Jalandhar, while the second took place later the same night near an Army camp in the Khasa area of Amritsar, close to BSF facilities and not far from the Attari-Wagah international border.
Addressing the media after the incidents, Bhagwant Mann claimed that such events tend to occur wherever the BJP is preparing to contest elections.
He alleged that the blasts were part of the party’s political strategy ahead of the upcoming Punjab Assembly elections.
“Wherever the BJP wants to enter politically, such incidents begin happening,” Mann said, urging the saffron party to “stop such acts.”
His comments appeared to refer to a recent post made by the BJP’s Punjab social media handle shortly before the party’s sweeping victory in West Bengal.
The post, which simply read “Next Punjab,” was widely interpreted as a signal of the BJP’s growing focus on Punjab politics ahead of next year’s polls.
Mann’s remarks quickly triggered strong reactions from opposition parties. The Bharatiya Janata Party sharply criticised the Chief Minister, accusing him of politicising a serious security matter.
Senior BJP leader Ashwani Sharma lashed out at Mann, saying the Chief Minister should resign instead of making what he described as irresponsible allegations.
“It appears the Chief Minister’s mental condition is not stable. He should resign and seek proper treatment,” Sharma said in a social media post.
He further accused Mann of indulging in “dirty politics” despite Punjab being a sensitive border state facing genuine security threats.
The Congress party also distanced itself from Mann’s allegations. Congress MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa described the Chief Minister’s attempt to blame the BJP as “amateurish politics” and called for a more serious and coordinated response to the security situation.
Meanwhile, Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav presented a completely different assessment of the incidents.
Speaking to India Today, the police chief warned that Pakistan’s intelligence agency, the ISI, was attempting to create a false narrative suggesting that Punjab was once again slipping into instability.
Yadav said preliminary findings indicated that both explosions involved Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), possibly timed or wired devices.
He added that certain extremist elements were allegedly acting under the direction of Pakistan-backed networks.
“The claims made by the Khalistan Liberation Army are being verified,” Yadav said. “Both the Jalandhar and Amritsar explosions appear to involve IEDs.
The ISI is trying to create a false perception that Punjab is disturbed. A handful of individuals are acting at their behest.”
According to the DGP, police received information about the Amritsar blast in the Khasa area around 10:50 pm on Tuesday, after which security forces and forensic teams rushed to the location.
In Jalandhar, eyewitnesses described scenes of panic after a parked scooter exploded in a crowded area near the BSF headquarters. CCTV footage later accessed by media outlets reportedly showed flames erupting immediately after the blast, with debris scattering across the road and people running for safety.
Investigators suspect that some fragments recovered from the site may belong to the scooter itself.
A man standing near the vehicle at the time of the explosion was seen fleeing moments later in the footage.
Hours after the Jalandhar incident, another explosion was reported outside an Army camp in Amritsar’s Khasa locality.
Preliminary suspicion points toward a motorcycle-borne attacker allegedly throwing a grenade at the site before fleeing. The area is located roughly 15 kilometres from the Attari-Wagah border crossing.
Amritsar Rural Police Superintendent Aditya Warrier confirmed that the explosion occurred between 10:30 pm and 11 pm and said Army personnel and police teams were immediately deployed.
“We are verifying the exact nature of the incident. Forensic experts are examining the site, and all possible angles are being investigated,” he said.
Jalandhar Police Commissioner Dhanpreet Kaur also urged caution, saying it was too early to reach definitive conclusions.
“Prima facie, it appears that a scooter parked at the location caught fire after the explosion.
We are still examining all facts on the ground,” she said. Officials confirmed that the scooter driver and another person linked to the incident were being questioned as investigators continued reviewing CCTV footage and forensic evidence.
Security agencies and central intelligence teams are now jointly probing both incidents, amid concerns over possible cross-border involvement and fears that attempts may be underway to disturb peace in the politically sensitive border state.
