Second Blast Within 30 Hours in Same Area in Amritsar, Explosives Packed in ‘Hell’ Energy Drink Can

Another blast near Golden Temple in Amritsar left one person injured on Monday morning. It happened within 30 hours of the first blast that took place Saturday night, ahead of the Jalandhar Lok Sabha seat bypoll. The investigation has revealed that the explosives were placed inside energy drink cans.

On Monday morning at around 6 a.m., a mysterious blast shocked Heritage Street near the Golden Temple in Amritsar. This was the second minor blast in the same area within 30 hours as on Saturday night, the first blast took place with no casualties but left a couple of people injured. The second blast occurred on the opposite side and while there were no casualties, one person was injured, and a car windshield was broken.

Police has cordoned off the area and started searching for hidden explosives. Investigations revealed that the two explosives were placed inside 250 ml “Hell” energy drink cans. As per the police, the blast happened when these cans fell or were thrown from a height.

Explaining the blasts, officials stated that in the first incident, the can was placed on a building with a string attached to it that was thrown over the wall. A person pulled the string unknowingly and the can fell down, causing the blast. The police did not reveal the identity of this person. As for the second blast, the can was reportedly thrown from a height, most likely to make a statement.

The two blasts come ahead of the May 10 Jalandhar Lok Sabha seat bypoll and just two days after Paramjit Singh Panjwar, the longest-serving KCF leader, was found murdered in Lahore, Pakistan. DGP Gaurav Yadav said, “Whether it was a mischief, terrorist angle or handiwork of a module, we are investigating the two blasts scientifically.”

Vineet Washington