Bomb Scare in Batala: Suspected IED Found Near Police Station Ahead of Rajnath Singh's Visit

Batala(The Uttam Hindu):Panic gripped the Batala region on Friday after a suspected Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was found at Ghanieke Bangar police station. Senior police officers immediately rushed to the spot and started probing the matter.

The police station, about 14 km from the city of Batala, was under heavy security because Defense Minister Rajnath Singh is scheduled to visit Qadian on Sunday. The authorities were busy with the security arrangements for the visit when the bomb scare was reported.

DIG (Border) Satinder Singh said the object was being examined. "It cannot be a hand-grenade," he said, adding that experts from the Forensic Science Laboratory had been called in for further investigation.

It later emerged that two Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) sympathisers, Gopi Nawashaharia and Harpreet Singh alias Happy Pashia, had claimed responsibility for the incident. Gopi is associated with the murder of former BKI militant Rattandeep Singh. He had fled to the US in May. Pashia is a US-based gangster-turned-terrorist, recruiting youths for criminal and terror activities in Punjab. Over 15 cases are lodged against him in the region.