Ludhiana, November 21: In a major breakthrough, the Punjab Police have arrested one of the masterminds behind the Amritsar Blast case, reports said. As per reports, the attacker confirmed the role of Pakistan's ISI handlers. The Police claimed that the arrest proves a link to ISI's Happy Singh. The intelligence agencies have been of the opinion that the blast was carried out by pro-Khalistan terrorists with the backing of the ISI. Meanwhile, the Punjab police had suspected Pakistan-based Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) leader Harmeet Singh ‘PhD’ to be the main conspirator behind the attack. Amritsar Blast: 'Grenades Used in Attack Are Similar to Ones Manufactured by Pakistan', Says Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh. 

On November 18, at least three people were killed and over a dozen were injured when unidentified assailants lobbed grenades at the Nirankari Bhawan in Amritsar's Rajasansi village. As per details by the eyewitness, the grenade was lobbed by bike-borne persons. Several eyewitnesses claimed that two armed and masked persons, who were on a motorcycle forced their way inside the Bhavan by pointing a gun at a woman devotee who was on duty at the gate. Attempts to 'Revive' Insurgency in Punjab Through 'External Linkages': Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat.

Reports inform that the blast occurred during a religious gathering of the Nirankari sect at Nirankari Bhavan in Adliwal village near Amritsar's Rajasansi, which is close to the international airport. Earlier this week, the Punjab police had arrested two suspects during the raids and had also detained few people having links to separatist organisations in connection with the blast.

Punjab CM Terms Amritsar Blast as a Pure Case of Terrorism:

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh held a press conference and confirmed the Pakistan link with the attack. At the press conference, the CM released an image of Bikramjit Singh, one of the accused held in the case. "I'm happy to announce that police nabbed one of the two persons involved. 26-year-old Bikramjit Singh has been arrested. The other man will also be arrested soon. His name is Avtar Singh", he said.

"There is no communal angle. It's a pure case of terrorism. They were targeted as they were easy targets. We had information in the past about other organisations being targeted but we took precautionary measures & prevented that", Singh added. He informed that grenade that burst was the type which is being used against forces in Kashmir, adding that, it was made under license by Pakistan ordinance factory and filled with pellets.

Singh said that ISI in Pakistan has been very active and the Amritsar blast is a case of terrorism and not communalism. The Chief Minister informed that the Punjab Police has busted 17 modules so far. He informed that Pakistan had made use of HE-84 grenade in the recent attack.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 21, 2018 03:29 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).