Punjab Police arrests 2nd suspect in Chandigarh grenade blast incident

The Punjab Police on Sunday said it has arrested the second suspect in the Chandigarh grenade blast incident.

Vishal Masih, a resident of village Raimal in Gurdaspur's Batala, was nabbed from Delhi, Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said.

Investigation into the incident revealed that US-based gangster Harpreet Singh alias Happy Passia reneged on promised rewards to two suspects who allegedly carried out the blast.

Two suspects, who came in an auto-rickshaw, had carried out the grenade blast at a house in upscale Sector 10 here on September 11.

Police arrested main perpetrator Rohan Masih, involved in the blast incident, on September 13.

"Within 72 hours of the Chandigarh Grenade blast, the @PunjabPoliceInd in coordination with Central Agencies has arrested the second perpetrator of the blast," Yadav said in a post on X.

"Following leads generated through various sources, second perpetrator Vishal Masih s/o Sabi Masih resident of village Raimal near Dhyanpur PS Kotli Surat Mallian, #Batala, District #Gurdaspur has been arrested from #Delhi," he said.

Further investigations are being conducted to uncover the entire conspiracy, he further said.

DGP Yadav said the investigation revealed that Happy Passia provided the accused with explosives, weapons and logistical support through his local associates in Punjab and also arranged some financial backings for them.

After committing the crime, the duo came to Amritsar and subsequently parted their ways, he said, while adding that Vishal first went to Jammu and Kashmir and then moved to Delhi, where police teams apprehended him.

"The probe also revealed that Happy Passia initially provided funds to entice the individuals involved, with the promise of a substantial payment upon the successful execution of the criminal plan.

"After completing the task, both the accused persons contacted Happy Passia for promised rewards, only to be met with initial evasion and eventual radio silence," he said.

The DGP, while highlighting the exploitative nature of these anti-national elements, urged the youth to beware of these deceitful terrorist handlers who use and discard vulnerable individuals with false promises.

Do not fall prey to such elements who will first exploit you by promising big rewards and then abandon you, he added.

Notably, this same pattern of betrayal by foreign-handlers has been observed in the previous investigations as well, wherein such handlers initially lure the innocent local youth with false promises and later abandon them once the act is done.

Sharing more details, Assistant Inspector General, Amritsar, Sukhminder Singh Mann said in-depth investigations in this case are being conducted in coordination with the Chandigarh Police to uncover the entire conspiracy and local network of Happy Passia.

Police got the remand of Vishal Masih till September 20, after producing him in a court, he added.