In a chilling development, Punjab police have revealed that the recent grenade attack on BJP leader Manoranjan Kalia’s home in Jalandhar was the handiwork of Zeeshan Akhtar—an alleged close associate of notorious gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and a prime accused in the murder of NCP leader Baba Siddiqui. What’s even more alarming is the suspected involvement of Pakistan’s intelligence agency, ISI, in what officials say is a broader conspiracy to stir communal unrest in Punjab, with the attack believed to have been plotted across the border.
The blast rocked Kalia’s residence in the early hours of Tuesday. The former state BJP chief and Cabinet minister was at home when the explosion shattered windowpanes and damaged an aluminum partition and nearby vehicles. Miraculously, no one was injured.
This incident is the latest in a string of explosions that have rattled Punjab over the past year—twelve in total—and it’s putting mounting pressure on the Bhagwant Singh Mann government. The Opposition has wasted no time in calling out the administration’s handling of the law and order situation. Meanwhile, Punjab minister Mohinder Bhagat pointed fingers at “those who cannot digest the state’s progress,” suggesting they are behind the violence.
Police acted swiftly, arresting the prime suspect and seizing the e-rickshaw allegedly used in the assault. But the plot thickened when, just hours after the blast, Babbar Khalsa International terrorist Happy Passia claimed responsibility. This unexpected twist has reignited concerns that the Bishnoi gang may be joining forces with Khalistani extremist outfits and the ISI—a theory that security agencies have suspected for some time.
Happy Passia’s name has repeatedly surfaced in probes related to recent blasts, especially those targeting police establishments in Amritsar. Investigators are also probing the role of gangster Jeevan Fauji, believed to be another key player in this disturbing wave of attacks.
