Punjab BJP working president Ashwani Sharma on Thursday visited the site of the explosion outside the party’s headquarters in Chandigarh, a day after the incident caused panic in the area.
The blast took place around 5 pm on Wednesday when a suspected crude explosive device was thrown near the office, officials said. No casualties were reported in the incident.
Police immediately cordoned off the area and deployed additional personnel for security. A team from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) also visited the spot as part of the investigation. Sharma, who is an MLA from Pathankot, arrived at the Punjab BJP office in the morning and reviewed the situation after the blast.
An unverified video circulating on social media on Wednesday evening shows a man pulling the pin from a blue-coloured grenade and throwing it, while another individual is seen recording the act. The two men are then seen running away moments before the explosion.
The faces of the suspects were not visible in the 10-second video, and its authenticity is yet to be confirmed. CCTV footage also reportedly shows the suspects running across the road after the blast.
In another unverified social media post, a person identified as Sukhjinder Singh Babbar claimed responsibility for the alleged grenade attack.
BJP national spokesperson R P Singh described the attack as “shocking” and said the fact that Ashwani Sharma had left the office for Delhi earlier that morning suggests he could have been the intended target.
"What makes this even more serious is that @AshwaniSBJP (Ashwani Sharma), the state BJP Working President, had been present at the same office for the last two days and had just left for Delhi for a political programme. Just 15 days ago, he was cautioned by the SSP of Pathankot to suspend his morning walks due to a specific threat perception. Whether there is any link between that warning and today's blast is a matter for investigation, but the coincidence cannot be ignored," the BJP leader said on X on Wednesday.
He said this attack raises serious questions about security arrangements, intelligence coordination, and the overall law and order situation in Punjab. He called for immediate action against those responsible.
He further said those involved must be identified quickly and brought to justice, stressing that there should be zero tolerance for such acts of terror.
Sharma had left for Delhi at 6 am on Wednesday to attend a party event where senior advocate and former AAP MLA H S Phoolka joined the BJP.
Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar termed the incident an “attack” on the party office and connected it to a series of recent disturbances reported across the state. He said there had been repeated grenade attacks on police stations in Punjab, followed by the vandalism of a statue of Babasaheb Dr B R Ambedkar in Hoshiarpur, and now an attack on the BJP state office in Chandigarh. Jakhar said these incidents indicate attempts to disturb communal harmony and create unrest in the state.
Several political leaders, including Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, and Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia, condemned the attack.
Also read: Blast outside Punjab BJP office in Chandigarh
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