Twin blasts: Radicalised Bathinda youth was planning fidayeen attack, say police
Two high-intensity explosions took place at Jeeda village on September 10, leaving accused Gurpreet Singh (19) and his father Jagtar Singh injured
BATHINDA: Material evidence recovered from a house, where two high-intensity blasts took place at Jeeda village in Bathinda, and preliminary questioning of the radicalised accused revealed that he was planning a fidayeen attack, police said on Thursday.
Two high-intensity explosions took place at Jeeda village on September 10, leaving accused Gurpreet Singh (19) and his father Jagtar Singh injured. The police learnt about it a day after a private hospital alerted the police about the nature of injuries. While Gurpreet’s right hand had to be amputated due to the explosion, his father, a farmer, suffered severe injuries in the second blast.
Police authorities said that Gurpreet, a law student, was allegedly influenced by radical Islamic ideologies.
Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Amneet Kondal said a multi-pocket vest was recovered from the spot and Gurpreet’s mobile phone had clues that hinted that he was planning a suicide attack.
Kondal said the accused was planning to travel by bus from Bathinda to Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir, which has a strategic base of the Indian Army, on September 11.
“But a high-intensity explosion took place on the eve of his scheduled travel to Kathua when he mishandled the chemicals at his house. We have secured his police remand for 7 days on Thursday and our team will question him in detail,” she said, adding that a deputy superintendent of police-rank official from Kathua had visited Bathinda earlier for details.
“Initial questioning of Gurpreet revealed that becoming a human bomb was on his mind. He purchased a wide range of explosive chemicals and the vest online. Gurpreet was indoctrinated but before he could undertake any operation, his attempt to prepare an explosive material failed due to a blast last week,” she said.
“He was influenced by Pakistan-based propaganda videos, which claimed Kashmiris were harassed and humiliated. He wanted revenge and planned to carry out a suicide attack,” said an official, who is part of the investigation.
The case has attracted multiple agencies where, besides the teams of the Punjab Police, National Investigation Agency (NIA), Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Indian Army are investigating the matter.
Officials say Gurpreet has a history of psychiatric issues and was treated at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh.
Meanwhile, investigators said Gurpreet was using a fake identity to follow Islamic radical content on social media.
The SSP corroborated ‘self-radicalisation’ saying that a week-long forensic probe did not give any clue that Gurpreet was in touch with any terror out in Pakistan or elsewhere. “All we have found so far is that Gurpeet was influenced by watching digital content,” she added.
Gurpreet, who was formally arrested on Wednesday after he was discharged from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bathinda, was produced before a district court via video conference.
