A man was killed in a blast while retrieving explosive material from a vacant area in Amritsar Tuesday, police said, adding the victim is suspected to have links with some terror organisation.
Earlier, Deputy Inspector General (Border Range) Satinder Singh said the man had reached the spot to retrieve the explosive material. “The explosive material was in his hands when the blast took place. Both his arms were blown off,” he said.
Police identified the victim as Nitin Kumar (23), a resident of Vikas Nagar in the Chheharta area of Amritsar. He worked as an auto-rickshaw driver.
Amritsar Rural Senior SP Maninder Singh said so far, no criminal record has been found.
Nitin’s family, meanwhile, told The Indian Express that he was undergoing medical treatment for drug addiction and had left home early in the morning to get his daily medication. His father Rakesh Kumar, also an auto-rickshaw driver, said the family had no idea what led to the incident.
“Nitin had no phone. He was an addict and had left home to get the medication. We don’t know how he reached there,” said the father.
The family lives in a rented house that they share with another family. Nitin’s mother works as domestic help.
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Earlier, DIG Singh had said that “as per circumstantial evidence, it is clear that this man was a member of some terrorist organisation”. DIG had cited some vital clues that the police had retrieved from the man’s pocket which indicated his “links with some terror outfit such as like Babbar Khalsa International”.
A team of Forensic Science Laboratory is investigating to find out whether it was an IED (improvised explosive device) blast or grenade blast.
Amritsar Rural Senior Superintendent of Police Maninder Singh said Nitin was retrieving the explosive material when the blast happened, possibly due to mishandling.
“The explosives had probably landed from Pakistan. It possibly has an ISI angle,” the SSP said, adding the area has since been cordoned off and security increased.
The incident quickly started a political blame game with Opposition parties alleging a complete law and order collapse in state even as Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said a probe is underway.