May 6, 2026
Two explosions outside military complexes in Punjab on Monday night, occurring within hours of each other, have put the border state on high alert. Officials say there were no fatalities; both incidents are under investigation and links between them have not been established.
Jalandhar
The first blast occurred at about 8 p.m. (1430 GMT) outside a Border Security Force complex in Jalandhar. Security-camera footage showed a cloud of smoke and a man running for cover. The explosion destroyed a scooter, damaged nearby shops and a traffic signal. Jalandhar Police Commissioner Dhanpreet Kaur told reporters a scooter parked near the gate suddenly caught fire. The man seen running reported the incident to his father and is cooperating with investigators.
The Times of India, citing a senior Punjab Police officer, reported that the Khalistan Liberation Army (KLA) had claimed responsibility for the Jalandhar blast. The KLA is an armed separatist group active in Punjab and designated a terrorist organisation by India; authorities say it is alleged to have supporters abroad. Police said it was too early to confirm whether the blast was accidental or a planned attack and that they were probing all possibilities.
Amritsar
Hours later, residents near an army camp in Amritsar heard a loud noise. Police said fragments resembling a sheet of metal were found embedded in the camp’s boundary wall, suggesting an explosive device had been thrown toward the wall. Officials have not commented on any direct link between the Amritsar and Jalandhar incidents.
Why Punjab is on edge
The twin explosions come after a recent attempted blast in Patiala on April 27, when a suspected extremist died during an attempted detonation on a freight-corridor rail track. Police have arrested four people accused of belonging to a Pakistan-linked separatist group in connection with that incident.
State opposition leader Sukhbir Singh Badal criticised the government on social media, writing: “Three blasts in 10 days, two in a single day. Continued intelligence failures and collapse of law and order are a matter of grave concern.” The renewed incidents have revived fears tied to the Khalistan movement, whose violent insurgency in the 1980s and 1990s left tens of thousands dead and remains a sensitive chapter in Punjab’s history.
Investigations continue as security forces review camera footage, forensic evidence and intelligence leads to determine the cause of both blasts and whether they are connected.