Punjab cops confident of nabbing second accused in Amritsar grenade attack

Punjab police Thursday said the second accused in the Amritsar grenade attack, which left three people dead and over 20 injured, will be arrested soon.

Two motorcycle-borne men threw a grenade on a religious congregation on the outskirts of Amritsar on Sunday. An alleged operative of militant organisation Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF), identified as Bikramjit Singh (26) was arrested on Tuesday in connection with the attack.

The second accused has been identified as Avtar Singh.

Senior Superintendent of Police Amritsar (Rural) Parmpal Singh said Avtar Singh will be nabbed soon as various police teams are looking for him.

He said Avtar Singh's father, Gurdyal Singh, had deserted the Indian Army after Operation Blue Star in 1984.

Mediapersons visiting Avtar Singh's house in Ajnala town's Chak Misri Khan village found numerous pictures of slain militant leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale pasted on walls.

Bikramjit Singh's mother, Sukhwinder Kaur, expressed shock over his arrest and claimed her son was innocent.

According to police, Bikramjit Singh was driving the motorcycle while Avtar Singh hurled the grenade at the gathering.