Alert in Punjab after 'tiffin bomb', grenades recovered
Darpan News Desk IANS, 09 Aug, 2021 12:17 PM
Chandigarh, Aug 9 (IANS) A high alert has been sounded in Punjab following the recovery of a tiffin box, fabricated into an improvised explosive device (IED) or "tiffin bomb", along with five hand grenades and 100 rounds of 9mm pistol ammunition, recovered from Amritsar close to the India-Pakistan border.
Director General of Police, Punjab, Dinkar Gupta said that following inputs regarding drone activity in the area, a massive combing operation was launched.
During the search operation, the police team recovered a bag carrying a double-decker children's lunch box and other ammunition packed very meticulously in soft foam pouches. The DGP said preliminary investigations indicated that the bag was dropped through a drone, which crossed the border into India.
He said that the high alert has been sounded across the state, and cautioned the people to remain alert all the time, and immediately report to the police if they find any suspicious thing lying abandoned or unclaimed anywhere, including in trains, buses or restaurants, etc.
"People can inform the police on 112 or 181 helpline numbers," he added.
Rejecting all opposition to his elevation, Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi appointed Navjot Singh Sidhu as the party's new Punjab unit President along with four Working Presidents.
Calling the reports of alleged snooping on prominent citizens using Israeli Pegasus spyware as "baseless", the ruling BJP on Monday said there is not a single shred of evidence so far that links either the central government or the party to this controversy.
Congress MPs from both Houses had met on Sunday afternoon at Rajya Sabha member Pratap Singh Bajwa's residence to discuss the issues related to Punjab and sought an appointment with Gandhi.
Apart from reviewing the security arrangements in the national capital, the Delhi Police have also strengthened the security in and around the Red Fort ahead of the Independence Day.
Police said acting on a specific information, Budgam Police along with the Army's 53 RR and 43 BN of the CRPF arrested one local terrorist linked with proscribed terror outfit LeT and recovered incriminating materials, arms and ammunition including one Chinese pistol, one magazine, eight live pistol rounds from his possession.
As the Pegasus spyware scandal unravelled within and outside Parliament, he termed it a "shocking assault" on India's democratic polity by the Union government, which had compromised the national security with "this blatantly disgraceful act".
