One killed, five hurt in Ludhiana court blast, high alert in Punjab

The blast comes days after the alleged sacrilege bids - at the Golden Temple in Amritsar and a gurdwara in Kapurthala - followed by the lynching of two men

A bomb went off in the district court complex on Thursday, killing one person and injuring five others, prompting the Punjab government to declare a high alert in the state. Police suspect that the man killed in the blast in the second-floor bathroom was trying to set off the explosive device, or may even have been a suicide bomber.

As forensic teams and specialised agencies were being summoned to the blast site, Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi expressed apprehension that the explosion might have been an attempt to create “anarchy” in the poll-bound state.

The Union Home Ministry has sought a detailed