Jalandhar grenade attack: Key accused roamed freely at railway station for two hours after blast

The key accused in the grenade attack on the residence of BJP leader Manoranjan Kalia used a stolen phone and roamed freely for around two hours at the Jalandhar railway station after the incident in the wee hours on April 8, according to a police source.

The source said the police “identified the accused by face” from a CCTV footage while a probe is on to know about his other identity details.

The source said the cellphone used by the accused belonged to a resident of Uttar Pradesh, identified as Shadir of Solian village in Budaun district.

The UP resident had got an FIR registered after his phone went missing, ruling out his involvement in the case, the source added.

The accused had made a UPI transaction of Rs 3,500 to an e-rickshaw driver’s cousin, who was arrested by the police along with the driver for facilitating the transfer and providing him with cash after withdrawing the amount from an ATM.

The accused was recognised from a CCTV footage of Platform No.2 of the Jalandhar City railway station, where he spent around two hours after the blast.

At the time of committing the crime, the accused had worn a black shirt, black trouser and sported a cap, the source said, adding that later he removed the cap.

A video had emerged wherein he had changed to a light purple colour shirt and white trouser near the Domoria overbridge.

He was carrying the clothes in his bag, spotted in a footage of the incident.

The accused had perhaps dumped his bag too before coming to the railway station, the source added.

“Our teams are searching for the accused somewhere near UP. We cannot reveal any further details,” said an investigating officer.

Special DGP Arpit Shukla said, “We shall definitely share all details once we are able to arrest the main accused.”