Explosion Targets BJP Leader’s Home in Jalandhar, Triggers Political Firestorm

A predawn explosion rocked the Jalandhar residence of Punjab BJP leader Manoranjan Kalia on Tuesday, damaging windows, an aluminum partition, and vehicles in the courtyard, though no injuries were reported. The blast, which occurred around 1 a.m. near Shastri Market, is suspected to involve a hand grenade, with CCTV footage showing an e-rickshaw linked to the incident. Kalia, a former Cabinet minister and BJP national executive member, was asleep at home and initially mistook the sound for an electrical fault until alerted by his driver.

Police, led by Jalandhar Commissioner Dhanpreet Kaur, launched an investigation, securing the area and analyzing forensic evidence and CCTV trails. Kaur confirmed an FIR would be filed, while security was heightened at key locations like bus stands and railway stations. The attack follows a string of explosions in Punjab, including police post incidents in Amritsar and Gurdaspur, but marks the first targeting a prominent politician’s home.

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Opposition parties slammed the AAP government, demanding Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s resignation over deteriorating law and order. BJP’s Tarun Chugh called it part of a “dangerous conspiracy,” joined by Shiromani Akali Dal’s Sukhbir Singh Badal and Congress’ Partap Singh Bajwa in seeking accountability. Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu labeled it a planned attack on a Hindu leader, while AAP’s Mohinder Bhagat vowed action against miscreants disrupting Punjab’s peace.