One killed in Ludhiana court blast

LUDHIANA: One person was killed and five injured in a blast inside the Ludhiana district court complex on Thursday, police said.

The blast took place in the washroom of the second floor of the court complex, said officials. One of the walls in the court complex got damaged and the windows of some vehicles parked in the premises were shattered due to the blast.

The district court was functioning when the blast took place.

Police have cordoned off the area and rescue operations are going on. Police were trying to ascertain the identity of the deceased.

Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi said he will visit Ludhiana to take stock of the situation.

“A blast took place in Ludhiana…I am going straight to Ludhiana,” Channi told reporters in Chandigarh. “Some antinational and anti-state forces are trying to commit such disgusting acts and for this the government is alert and the people should also be alert,” he said, adding the culprits will not be spared.

Ludhiana Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said the area has been sealed and forensic teams will collect samples from the blast site.

Replying to a question on preliminary investigations, Bhullar said at this point, it is very difficult to say anything, and added that investigation was underway

The Union Home Ministry has also sought a detailed report from the Punjab government on the blast.The ministry also asked the state government to inform it about the findings of the initial investigation and who could be possibly involved in the explosion, officials aware of the development said.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi condemned the incident and called for strict action against the guilty.

“The blast in Ludhiana is extremely condemnable. My condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives and prayers of quick recovery for the injured. Strict action must be taken at the earliest against those guilty,” he said on Twitter.

Earlier, police had claimed that two people died in the blast but later on said one person had died.