Cops’ silence over Amritsar blast sparks demand for NIA probe

The silence of the Punjab Police on an IED blast in Amritsar, which left a constable of the bomb disposal squad with grievous injuries, has baffled many, some of them demanding an NIA probe into the incident.

Constable Gurpreet Singh of 7 IRB, Jalandhar, sustained severe injuries in the August 10 explosion, just five days before the Independence Day and ahead of DGP Gaurav Yadav’s visit to the holy city.

Medical records from the PGI, Chandigarh, confirm that the constable has been battling for life since the incident. He has lost vision in both eyes, complete hearing in one ear and partial hearing in the other, fingers of one hand and finger tips of the other, along with deep leg injuries.

The matter was first reported by The Tribune on August 19, when constable’s mother Baljit Kaur wrote to the Punjab DGP requesting proper treatment. Initially admitted to Amandeep Hospital in Amritsar, he was later referred to the PGI, Chandigarh, due to his critical condition.

Despite the gravity of the incident, the Amritsar police have been in complete denial. Activists claim the blast occurred in the Galiara area, though city police officials have refused to confirm the location.

A senior official said: “It was not Galiara, but we cannot share anything further.” Notably, the blast occurred just days after the SGPC received a threat to blow up the Golden Temple.

Activist Simranjeet Singh has demanded that the case be investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). He claims to have shared all collected details with the Ministry of Home Affairs.

“If the blast has taken place and a constable is injured, the concealment being done by the police is not right,” he said. The activist is also preparing to file a public interest litigation (PIL), terming the matter a “very serious issue that should not have been suppressed”.

Meanwhile, the family of the injured constable, who had initially spoken out, has gone silent, reportedly under pressure. The constable’s brother has avoided responding to media queries for nearly a week.