May 6, 2026
Two explosions outside military complexes in Punjab on Monday night, within hours of each other, have put the border state on high alert. Authorities say there were no fatalities, but both incidents are under investigation and it is not yet clear whether they were linked.
Jalandhar
The first blast occurred at about 8 p.m. (1430 GMT) outside the Border Security Force complex in Jalandhar. Security camera footage showed a cloud of smoke and a man running for cover. The explosion ripped a scooter apart, damaged nearby shops and a traffic signal. Jalandhar Police Commissioner Dhanpreet Kaur told reporters that 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 organization by India; it is alleged to have supporters abroad. Authorities say it is too early to confirm whether the blast was accidental or a planned attack and are 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 yet commented on any direct link between the Amritsar and Jalandhar incidents.
Why Punjab is on edge
The twin explosions follow 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 linked to the movement for an independent Sikh homeland, Khalistan, whose violent insurgency in the 1980s and 1990s left tens of thousands dead and remains a sensitive part of Punjab’s history.
Investigations continue as security forces review footage, forensic evidence and intelligence leads to determine the cause of both blasts and whether they are connected.