Chandigarh: A suspected terrorist died in a blast while retrieving explosive material from a vacant area near Naushera on the Majitha road bypass in Punjab's Amritsar on Tuesday, police said.
The incident comes in the backdrop of arrests of several members of pro-Khalistan terror outfits following a series of grenade attacks, with the police suspecting that Pakistan-backed terror outfits were trying to create disturbance in the border state.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said a probe is underway while the opposition party slammed the AAP government, alleging the law and order has "collapsed" in the state.
The police said both arms of the man were blown off in the explosion, which took place around 9:30 AM. Locals reported hearing a loud blast which triggered panic in the area.
Deputy Inspector General (Border Range) Satinder Singh said the man is suspected to have links with some terror organisation like Babbar Khalsa International (BKI).
He came here to retrieve the explosive material. "The explosive material was in his hands when the blast took place," Singh told reporters in Amritsar.
"We are investigating his identity and the terror organisation he belonged to," he said.
Replying to a question, the DIG said the man was yet to be identified.
"As per circumstantial evidence, it is clear that this man was a member of some terrorist organisation," Singh said, adding police got some vital clues from the man's pocket which indicated his links with some terror outfit.
A team from the Forensic Science Laboratory is investigating to find out whether it was an IED (improvised explosive device) blast or grenade blast.
The DIG appealed to people not to panic, saying "we will soon solve this case".
Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria said there are some agencies that are trying to create disturbance in the state.
He, however, said the administration was dealing with such cases strictly.
Reacting to the incident, Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring expressed grave concern over the security situation in the state.
He said it was an ominous sign and people were feeling scared and apprehensive about it.
"We don't want to press the panic buttons, but the situation in Punjab is turning alarming day by day", he said, while pointing out, "when our senior colleague and Leader of Opposition in Punjab assembly, Partap Singh Bajwa had flagged the issue, Punjab government slapped an FIR on him".
Warring urged Chief Minister Mann to take the matter seriously.
While assuring his party's full support and cooperation to the government to deal with this situation, he said, "We have to fight against it together. Punjab cannot afford another dark era of terror. These are ominous signs".
But the onus lies on the chief minister to take the lead and set his priorities right, he remarked.
BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh lambasted the AAP government for its "utter failure" in maintaining law and order in Punjab.
Expressing serious concern over the incident, Chugh said, "This horrifying incident is not an isolated one. It reflects the complete collapse of the state's internal security under AAP's misgovernance."
He demanded that the National Investigation Agency should take over the probe to expose the broader terror nexus operating in Punjab.
"There has been a series of grenade attacks targeting police stations and religious places, yet the AAP government continues to remain a mute spectator," he alleged.
Citing the grenade attack on the residence of senior BJP leader Manoranjan Kalia in Jalandhar, Chugh claimed that "terrorist activities have been gaining alarming momentum".
Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia visited the area where the blast took place and lashed out at the AAP government, alleging that the law and order situation has "collapsed" in the state.
He also cited an incident of the murder of an Akali councillor.