Ludhiana court blast: Deceased person suspected to be bomb handler, investigations on

`Preliminary investigation suggests that the person who died in the blast was the handler/criminal. Forensic experts, bomb experts looking into the matter,` Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, Ludhiana Commissioner of Police, told a news agency.

Ludhiana (Punjab): The person who died in the Ludhiana court blast yesterday (December 23) is believed to have had brought explosives to the District Court Complex, police said on Friday. "The blast (in Ludhiana court) occurred at 12:22 pm, yesterday (Dec 23)... Preliminary investigation suggests that the person who died in the blast was the handler/criminal. Forensic experts, bomb experts looking into the matter," Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, Ludhiana Commissioner of Police, told ANI.

The blast in the court left several injured, the state government said. An FIR was registered on Thursday in the case under the relevant section of the Indian Penal Code, Explosive Substance Act, Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Police suspect that the man killed in the blast on the second-floor toilet was trying to assemble or plant the explosive device.

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Friday (December 24) said his government has sought Centre's support to crack the bomb explosion case that rocked the Ludhiana court premises. Channi said he had spoken to Home Minister Amit Shah hours after the explosion and that the Centre has dispensed teams to Punjab to investigate the case. The chief minister denied intelligence failure saying, "There is no such thing. We are alert."

A bomb went off in the district court complex in Ludhiana on Thursday, killing one person and injuring six others, prompting the Punjab government to declare a high alert in the state.

Today, Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, Som Prakash, and others reached District Courts Complex, Ludhiana to take stock of the situation. They also met Ludhiana Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar and other senior police officials. Ludhiana Commissioner of Police informed that the explosion was heard near the Record Room on the second floor of the Ludhiana Court complex. "Bomb disposal team and forensics team has been called from Chandigarh for probe," he said.

(With Agency inputs)