A bomb explosion in the Ludhiana district court complex on Thursday killed one and injured five people. The explosion took place at 12.22 pm in the washroom on the second floor of the court complex. Post the incident, the Punjab government declared a high alert in the state.

Police suspect that the man killed in the blast was trying to set off the explosive device, or may even have been a suicide bomber. One of the walls in the court complex got damaged and the windows of some vehicles parked in the premises were shattered due to the powerful blast. The district court was functioning when the explosion took place.

Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi said he will visit Ludhiana to take stock of the situation. "A blast took place in Ludhiana; I am going straight to Ludhiana," Channi told reporters in Chandigarh.

"Some anti-national and anti-state forces are trying to commit such disgusting acts and for this the government is alert and the people should also be alert," he said, adding the culprits will not be spared.

Saddened over the news of blast at Ludhiana court complex. I'm reaching the blast site shortly and I assure the people of the state that the guilty would not be spared. Anybody trying to disturb the peace and harmony of the state, will be taken to task

— Charanjit S Channi (@CHARANJITCHANNI) December 23, 2021

Ludhiana Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said the area has been sealed and forensic teams will collect samples from the blast site. Replying to a question on preliminary investigations, Bhullar said at this point, it is very difficult to say anything and added that the investigation was underway.

Union Home Ministry has sought a detailed report on the blast from the Punjab government. The ministry also asked the state government to inform it about the findings of the initial investigation and who could be possibly involved in the explosion, the officials said.

CM Channi, accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu, visited a hospital in Ludhiana to meet the injured. He also summoned a meeting later in the day in Chandigarh.

Several advocates complained of lax security arrangements at the complex, and Randhawa said more metal detectors will be installed there. Asked if it could be a human bomb or a fidayeen suicide attack, the minister said nothing can be ruled out. A DNA test will be conducted on the unidentified man found dead at the blast site, he added.

CCTV footage will also be examined, he said.

Former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said he was saddened to know about the deaths in the blast. Disturbing news of a blast at Ludhiana court complex. Saddened to know about the demise of 2 individuals, Praying for the recovery of those injured. @PunjabPoliceInd must get to the bottom of this, said Singh in a tweet.

Disturbing news of a blast at Ludhiana court complex. Saddened to know about the demise of 2 individuals, Praying for the recovery of those injured. @PunjabPoliceInd must get to the bottom of this.

— Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) December 23, 2021

Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal expressed shock over the blast. Shocked by news of blast at Ludhiana dist court where 2 people lost their lives & several injured. May Guru Sahib grant peace to departed souls & fast recovery to injured. Pb govt must focus on law & order instead of political vendetta to ensure peace & communal harmony in State, said Badal in a tweet.

Shocked by news of blast at Ludhiana dist court where 2 people lost their lives & several injured. May Guru Sahib grant peace to departed souls & fast recovery to injured. Pb govt must focus on law & order instead of political vendetta to ensure peace & communal harmony in State. pic.twitter.com/kzCkiG1d0V

— Sukhbir Singh Badal (@officeofssbadal) December 23, 2021

Calling the incident as 'unfortunate', the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) demanded that those behind the explosion and recent attempts of sacrilege in Punjab be put behind bars "at the earliest". It claimed that the blast and the two consecutive attempts to commit sacrilege at the Golden Temple in Amritsar and a gurdwara in Kapurthala indicate that "some people" want to disturb the peace in Punjab under a conspiracy "in view of the state Assembly polls" due to be held early next year.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) also targeted the ruling Congress in Punjab over these incidents and questioned its competence, alleging that Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi's government has "completely failed" in maintaining law and order in the state.

AAP leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said some people want to disturb peace in Punjab. "First sacrilege, now blast. Some people want to disturb the peace of Punjab. Three crore people of Punjab will not allow their plans to succeed, said Kejriwal in a tweet.

पहले बेअदबी, अब ब्लास्ट। कुछ लोग पंजाब की शांति भंग करना चाहते हैं। पंजाब के 3 करोड़ लोग इनके मंसूबों को कामयाब नहीं होने देंगे। हमें एक दूसरे का हाथ पकड़ कर रखना है

ख़बर सुनकर दुख हुआ, मृतकों के परिवार के साथ मेरी संवेदनाएँ एवं सभी घायलों के जल्द स्वस्थ होने की कामना करता हूँ— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) December 23, 2021

(With inputs from PTI)

(Edited by : Priyanka Deshpande)

First Published:Dec 23, 2021 2:15 PM IST