Why the attack on the Nirankari Mission in Amritsar appears to be an act of terror

Amritsar, Nov 18: The police are not ruling out a terror angle to the grenade attack that killed three persons at a religious congregation in the Rajanasi area near here on Sunday. The attack took place at the Nirankari Satsang Bhawan.

While police officials say that all angles are being investigated, an Intelligence Bureau official tells OneIndia that it is clear that it was an act of terror.

However further probe would be needed to pinpoint which outfit could have carried it out the official also said.

The attack comes four days after the IB sounded a high alert after the movement of 6 terrorists was reported in the state. The police had also said that Zakir Musa, a terrorist from Jammu and Kashmir had moved into the state. However the police rule out his role in the attack.

Apart from Musa, the Intelligence Bureau had also said that six terrorists from the Jaish-e-Mohammad had moved into the state. They are said to have crossed over into the state from Ferozepur, the police had stated.

In addition to this, the police and the National Investigation Agency have been probing several cases relating to Khalistan terrorists, who have been attempting to revive militancy in the state.

The police say that this incident appears to have a terror angle as it is against a group. There is no reason to hurl a grenade at a group of people, so we will take it as a terror act.

The Nirankaris are the followers of Baba Buta Singh, who founded the Sant Nirankari mission, which is an independent spiritual mission in 1929. The Nirankari Mission is looked upon by many mainstream Sikhs as a heretic cult and is not affiliated with any religion. It is aimed at uniting the people with God.

The mission has its headquarters in Delhi and also has centres in countries like Canada, Germany and Australia.

It may be recalled that in 1980, the then chief of the sect, Gurbachan Singh was assassinated by a Sikh extremist at the Foundation's headquarters in Delhi. He was succeeded by his son, Hardev Singh. He died last year in a car crash in Toronoto.

Following his death, Singh's wife Savinder Kaur became the head and also the first woman to head the Nirankari Mission. The mission has been involved in a series of violent clashes with the radical Sikhs. The Akal Takht had released a decree directing the Khalsa Panth to cut off all worldly relations with those Sikhs who were part of the Nirankari organisation.