Ludhiana court blast suspect wanted to destroy drugs case files: Report

Gagandeep Singh, the man suspected to be behind the explosion in a Ludhiana court complex on Thursday, had intended to destroy papers of a drugs case filed against him, sources have told NDTV.

Singh, a former policeman and the suspected bomber, was killed in the blast, and six others were injured.

In order to destroy the files of the drugs case, for which he was reportedly scheduled to appear soon, he planned this explosion. The blast, however, is believed to have occurred when he was assembling the bomb in the court bathroom.

“It appears that the explosion occurred while the IED was being assembled. Assessment of the damage caused to the structure do point to use of high-grade explosive or an easily available explosive in large quantities. But until traces are forensically examined, it will be difficult to say for sure,” an official involved with the probe said, according to a report in The Indian Express.”

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The investigation of the blast has been obstructed by a water pipe burst in the toilet, which might have compromised with some of the evidence, The Indian Express reported. A senior security establishment officer said, “The nature of explosives is still being ascertained as the blast caused a water pipe in the toilet to burst, washing away the explosives. Forensic teams are still working at the spot to pick up traces. It might take some time but a conclusion will be arrived at soon.”

After the incident, his body was identified by his family members with the help of a tattoo. A SIM card, a damaged mobile phone, remains of a detonator, and a shrapnel, were found from the spot, sources said.

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Singh had been dismissed from service in 2019, following which, he spent two years in jail after his arrest in a drug-trafficking case.   

His brother and two friends have been detained by the police for questioning, and a laptop has been seized from his house.