Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Sep 14: In a significant breakthrough in the investigation into the March 2025 grenade blast at Thakurdwara Sanatan Temple in Amritsar, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a charge sheet against three individuals for their alleged roles in the conspiracy and execution of the attack. Submitted to the Special NIA Court in Mohali, the charge sheet formally names Vishal Gill alias Chuchi, Bhagwant Singh alias Manna Bhatti, and Diwan Singh alias Sunny as key players in the planned assault that rattled Punjab.
According to the NIA, Vishal Gill was one of the two attackers on a motorcycle who hurled the grenade at the temple in the early hours of March 15. His accomplice, Gursidak Singh alias Sidki, was killed in a police encounter just two days after the incident. Bhagwant Singh is accused of facilitating the attack by providing shelter, hiding weapons, and supplying the motorcycles used for reconnaissance. Diwan Singh has been charged with harbouring the other accused and attempting to destroy crucial evidence related to the case.
The investigation has also led to the arrest of Sharanjeet Kumar from Gaya, Bihar, earlier this month, while authorities continue to pursue another key figure, Badalpreet Singh, believed to be operating from abroad. Additional suspects remain unidentified, and the hunt for them is ongoing.
The NIA's findings indicate that the attack was part of a broader terror plot driven by both domestic and international operatives, aimed at inciting fear and fuelling communal unrest in Punjab and beyond. Investigators have traced financial links between foreign handlers and local operatives, revealing the use of platforms like UPI and MTSS for transferring terror funds.
This attack, according to security agencies, is part of a disturbing pattern of renewed efforts by foreign-backed groups to destabilise the peace and security of Punjab, underlining growing concerns over cross-border terror networks exploiting local channels to execute targeted strikes within India.