NIA arrests key accused in Punjab's Taran Taran blast case

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday arrested a key accused and conspirator in a blast case at Taran Taran in Punjab. On September 4, three men were digging the ground to dig out explosive substance buried by them in a vacant plot on the outskirts the Pandori Gola village.

At 8 pm the powerful explosion occurred in the abandoned land near agricultural fields. Two of them, Vikram and Harpreet Singh, were killed and -- Gurjant Singh sustained grievous injuries. Gurjant was admitted to a private hospital and was arrested immediately after his discharge from the hospital. He was produced before the Special NIA Court, Mohali, which remanded him to NIA custody till October 11.

The accused Gurjant is a resident of Bachhre village near Taran Taran. The  NIA is investigating the case under sections 304 of the IPC and sections 3 and 4 of the Explosive Substances Act. During the investigation, the local Police invoked sections 10, 11 and 13 of the UA(P) Act. After the NIA took over the investigation, Sections 16, 18, 20 and 23 of UA(P) Act have also been added.

​Seven accused--Mandeep Singh, Chandeep Singh, Malkiat Singh, Amrit Singh, Harjit Singh, Amarajeet Singh and Manpreet Singh--were already arrested in this case by the Punjab Police. They were also produced before the Special NIA Court, Mohali. NIA prayed for the custody of two accused Amrit Singh and Harjit Singh and the same was also granted by the court till October 11.

​NIA is conducting an investigation to unearth the larger conspiracy involved wherein the accused was radicalised and motivated for terror activities. Further investigation is being conducted to find out the source of explosives, motivation and training of the module, potential targets, financing as well as other support from within the country and beyond. Investigation so far reveals the role of one Bikramjit Singh of Taran Taran who left the country in 2018.

The custodial investigation is likely to further throw light on the same. Various incriminating materials seized during the investigation have been sent for expert opinion and the investigation is in active stage.