Capt rules out link with bloody clash of 1978

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, November 19

The grenade attack at Nirankari Bhavan was a terrorist attack and cannot be compared with the bloody clash that took place between Sikhs and sect members on April 13, 1978, in Amritsar, said Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh.

He along with his Cabinet colleague Navjot Singh Sidhu and PPCC president Sunil Jakhar today visited Adliwal where two assailants had lobbed a grenade into the bhavan’s prayer room, killing three and injuring 19 people on Sunday.

“Prima facie, this appears to be an act of terror by separatist forces, organised with the support of ISI-backed Khalistani or Kashmiri terrorist groups,” Capt Amarinder said, adding that his government had taken serious note of the incident and was aggressively pursuing all angles to crack the case.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the grenade used was similar to the ones manufactured by the Pakistani Army ordinance factory.

“The incident solely meant to create terror, whereas the 1978 Sikh-Nirankari conflict was an outcome of religious differences that had left 13 dead. Both the incidents could not be equated. The police had recovered a similar HG-84 grenade from a terror module busted last month, which indicates a high probability of the involvement of inimical forces from across the border,” the Chief Minister said.

He announced jobs for the kin of those killed in the attack and Rs 50,000 each for the injured, besides free treatment. Earlier, the CM was briefed by Home Secretary NS Kalsi and DGP Suresh Arora, on the probe.