DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

An alleged blast took place on Wednesday night outside the Bakshiwal police chowki in Gurdaspur district, Punjab police said on Thursday. The police launched a probe on Thursday following reports that a "blast" took place.

In an unverified post circulating on social media, terror outfit Khalistan Zindabad Force has claimed the responsibility for the alleged attack. This is the second incident of blast in Punjab this week and the third this month.

The police said a team of forensic experts reached the Bakshiwal police chowki to investigate the Wednesday incident.

Asked about reports of any blast outside the police post, Kalanaur Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Gurwinder Singh said, "We had received information. We have launched an investigation.

"An FSL (Forensic Science Laboratory) team is on the spot. Once the FSL team gives a report, it will be clear what exactly has happened," said the DSP.

There was some sign of a burnt patch outside the chowki, said police, adding that nobody had heard the sound of any blast.

The police chowki has been lying closed for the past two weeks, said the police. A blast had occurred at Islamabad police station in Punjab's Amritsar on Tuesday. However, no one was injured in the incident. The Islamabad police station incident took place a fortnight after a hand grenade was lobbed at a police post in Nawanshahr. some people attacked Asron police post in the Kathgarn police station in Nawanshahr by hurling a hand grenade in its premises on December 2. In the Islamabad police station case, an explosion was heard at around 3.15 am, according to locals.

Initially, the Amritsar Police claimed that no blast occurred on the police station premises. However, in an official statement in the evening, the Punjab Police said "in the wake of the attack" on the Islamabad police station, Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav visited the city and ordered strict action against the perpetrators. Yadav visited Amritsar a few hours after the incident was reported, according to the statement. Chairing a high-level meeting here, the DGP emphasised the need for officers to use both technical and human intelligence to detect and apprehend those responsible for the "attack".

The Punjab DGP had then ordered strict action against the perpetrators in the wake of the attack on the Islamabad police station.

(editor@dailyworld.in)