The North News
Chandigarh, April 12
In a significant development underscoring Punjab’s intensifying crackdown on terror, state police have arrested the main accused in the grenade attack on BJP leader Manoranjan Kalia’s residence, officials confirmed on Saturday.
The suspect, Saidul Ameen from Amroha in Uttar Pradesh, was apprehended in Delhi following a coordinated multi-state operation involving Punjab Police, Delhi Police, and central agencies. He is accused of orchestrating the April 7 attack in Jalandhar’s Central Town neighbourhood, which officials say was part of a broader conspiracy linked to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav, speaking at a press conference in Jalandhar alongside Commissioner of Police Dhanpreet Kaur, said that the arrest is “a testament to seamless coordination” between law enforcement bodies. He reiterated the state’s “zero tolerance” approach towards terrorism, aligning with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s directive to maintain public safety and communal harmony.
Two local men—identified as Satish, also known as Kaka or Lucky, and Harry—were earlier detained for allegedly providing logistical support to Ameen. The wider conspiracy is believed to involve Zeeshan Akhtar, said to be closely associated with notorious gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and Shahzad Bhatti, a Pakistan-based criminal with alleged ties to the ISI.
The police are also examining a possible link to the banned outfit Babbar Khalsa International. Another accused, Abhijot from Haryana, was arrested by Haryana Police after a shootout in Kurukshetra and will be brought to Punjab for questioning.
“A wider probe is underway to expose handlers, financiers, and international connections,” said Yadav.
The case is being investigated under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Explosive Substances Act. The FIR was filed at Jalandhar’s Division Number 3 police station on April 8.
