A blast occurred near the main gate of the Jalalabad police station in Punjab’s Fazilka district early Sunday morning, damaging the windshields of two vehicles that were kept in police custody. The incident took place around 2 am, officials said, with a forensic team later visiting the site to collect evidence and determine what caused the explosion.
Superintendent of Police Satinder Kumar said the blast took place at around 2 am and damaged the windows of two old vehicles parked inside the police station premises. The vehicles had been seized and were being kept in police custody.
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“A blast occurred in Jalalabad around 2 am last night, due to which the windows of two old vehicles parked there were damaged. These were vehicles kept in police custody,” Kumar said.
The police have not confirmed that the incident involved a grenade attack. Investigators are examining the circumstances surrounding the blast and are expected to determine its cause after analysing evidence collected from the location.
A forensic team examined the site as part of the investigation. Senior Superintendent of Police Gagan Ajit Singh and other senior officials also visited the police station in the morning to take stock of the situation.
The blast did not cause any significant damage beyond the affected vehicles, according to the report. However, the incident has raised concerns about the law-and-order situation in Punjab, particularly as the state heads towards elections in the coming months.
The development has also drawn a political response. Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal described the incident as a “total collapse of law and order in Punjab”, questioning the safety of police establishments in the state.
Senior Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia also criticised the state government over the incident. He said that if police stations themselves were unsafe, questions would arise over the safety of ordinary citizens.
The investigation remains focused on establishing the exact nature and cause of the blast. While the damaged vehicles were inside the police station premises, authorities have so far stopped short of confirming any specific theory about what caused the explosion.
The incident comes amid heightened political attention on law and order in Punjab. With state elections approaching, opposition leaders are likely to use the episode to question the government’s handling of security and public safety.
For now, police and forensic officials are examining the available evidence. Further details about the cause of the blast and whether any person or group was responsible are expected to emerge as the investigation progresses.
