Ludhiana court bomber was ex-cop; wanted to destroy case papers
What's the story
The man who planted a bomb at a court in Ludhiana has been identified as a former police constable. Gagandeep Singh, the suspect, was the only person killed in the blast. He had allegedly wanted to destroy the documents in a drugs case filed against him, NDTV reported citing sources. Six other people were injured in the attack on Thursday.
Context
Why does it matter?
This marks a major breakthrough in the blast case which has reignited serious questions about the existing security arrangements at court complexes. An explosion took place inside a washroom on the second floor of the district court around 12:20 pm on Thursday. Further, the attack took place just weeks before Punjab is set to go to polls in early 2022.
Details
Singh was sacked; spent 2 years in jail
Singh, 30, a resident of Lalheri in Khanna district, was a former Head Constable in Punjab Police. He was sacked from service and arrested in 2019 on charges of drug possession and peddling. A First Information Report (FIR) was registered against him in Mohali district. Singh spent two years in jail before being released in September this year.
Probe
He was set to appear in court
Singh was scheduled to appear in court on Friday. His plan was to destroy the court records room in an attempt to damage the papers from his case. He was assembling the bomb in a court washroom when it exploded, the police said. It is believed he had developed links with pro-Khalistan and mafia outfits during his time in prison.
Identification
A tattoo helped in identification
Singh's body was identified from a tattoo—depicting a Sikh religious symbol. A SIM card and a wireless dongle also helped the cops in identifying him. His family too confirmed that the body was his. Singh's brother and two of his friends have been detained for questioning by the police. A laptop has also been recovered from his house.
Other details
Law Minister visits court complex
On Friday, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla held a meeting in the wake of the blast case. The meet was attended by the chiefs of Intelligence Bureau, Central Reserve Police Force, National Investigation Agency, and Border Security Force, among others. Union Law and Justice Minister Kiren Rijiju also visited the Ludhiana court complex and assured the central government's cooperation in the investigation.