Blast Outside Punjab BJP Leader Manoranjan Kalia's House; Lawlessness Crossed All Bounds In Punjab, Says Badal

A blast took place outside the residence of Punjab Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Manoranjan Kalia in Shastri Market in the wee hours of Tuesday, news agency ANI reported.

The incident occurred around 1 am and the authorities have started investigating the case. However, the BJP leader is safe and nobody is injured in the incident.

Kalia's First Reaction

Responding to the incident, Kalia told ANI: "There was a blast at around 1 am...I was sleeping, and I thought that it was the sound of thunder...Later I was informed that a blast had taken place...after this, I sent my gunman to the police station...CCTV is being investigated; forensic experts are also present here."

Forensic experts have started collecting evidence from the spot and the cops have launched an investigation to nab the culprit. However, no arrests have been made yet in connection with the incident.

Jalandhar deputy commissioner of police, Manpreet Singh, has sought a report from the forensic teams.

Talking about the incident, Commissioner of police, Dhanpreet Kaur, said, "Around 1 am, we got information of blast here. After which we reached the spot and started the investigation. The forensic team is investigating the matter...We are also monitoring the CCTV. The forensic team is investigating whether it is a grenade attack or something else,"

Kalia is a former Cabinet minister and former president of Punjab BJP.

On being asked whether the perpetrator used a hand-grenade attack, Kaur stated the forensic teams have collected samples from the spot. "Whatever information we receive, we will share," she added.

10 Explosions In 4 Months

It has to be noted that many such incidents of explosions have been reported in the last five months, targeting police posts in Amritsar and Gurdaspur. At least 10 explosions have been reported between November 2024 and February 2025, Hindustan Times reported.

Meanwhile, miscreants threw explosives outside Thakur Dwara Temple in Amritsar's Khandwala area. However, nobody is hurt in the incident.

Reactions

Responding to the incident, former Punjab Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal criticised the Bhagwant Mann. In a post on X, he wrote, " Lawlessness has crossed all bounds in Punjab. After attacks on police stations, places of worship & vandalism of statues of Babasaheb Dr. BR Ambedkar, now the residence of a former minister & senior BJP leader Manoranjan Kalia has been subject to a grenade attack. All these incidents make it clear the @AamAadmiParty & chief minister @BhagwantMann are unable to come to grips with the situation. The CM must take moral responsibility for these incidents & resign immediately."

State BJP President Sunil Jakhar said that Mann has deployed an intelligence team of Punjab Police at the Delhi Congress headquarters. "He said in the assembly that I have intelligence about what happened in the Delhi Congress meeting. Where was this intelligence when a bomb was thrown at Manoranjan Kalia's residence?" he questioned.