Explosion outside temple in Amritsar, no injuries

Amritsar, Mar 15: A blast occurred outside a temple in Amritsar around midnight when a motorcycle-borne person threw an explosive device towards it, damaging a portion of its wall and shattering window panes, officials said on Saturday. While no one was hurt in the incident, the explosion caused panic among residents in the Khandwala area of Amritsar.

There have been many incidents of explosions targeting police posts in Amritsar and Gurdaspur in the past four months but it the first such attack on a temple. Opposition parties alleged that the incident reflected the “deteriorating” law and order situation under the AAP government.

Amritsar Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said the police were informed about the incident at around 2 am on Saturday by the Thakur Dwar temple priest.

CCTV footage of the incident showed two unidentified persons coming to the temple on a motorcycle. After waiting for a few seconds, one of them is seen throwing some explosive material towards the temple and the two later flee from the site. Bhullar said police teams were trying to trace the men involved in the blast and they would soon be nabbed. “Our teams are following them. Like we had traced earlier incidents, this incident will also be traced,” he said.