NIA raids 19 locations in Punjab over Amritsar temple grenade attack case

New Delhi, Aug 5 (IANS) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday carried out raids at 19 locations across Punjab in connection with the March grenade attack on a temple in Amritsar.

The searches were conducted in the border districts of Amritsar, Gurdaspur, and Batala as part of a widening investigation into the terror incident. The raids led to the seizure of several incriminating materials, including mobile phones and other digital devices, the agency said.

According to the NIA, the grenade attack on Thakur Dwara Sanatan Temple, located on Sher Shah Road in Amritsar, was orchestrated by terrorists supported by foreign-based handlers. The attack occurred on the night of March 14 and is one of several such incidents in Punjab attributed to terror modules with overseas links.

The case, registered as RC-08/2025/NIA/DLI, revealed that two accused individuals — Gursidak Singh (now deceased) and Vishal Gill — were directly involved in the execution of the attack. Gursidak Singh had been in contact with foreign handlers who recruited Indian nationals to carry out acts of terror.

The handlers reportedly radicalised vulnerable youth, offering them money and drugs in exchange for conducting grenade attacks and smuggling weapons.

The investigation also found that Gursidak Singh and Gill were engaged in multiple operations involving the movement and delivery of grenades and firearms across different locations in Punjab.

These activities were aimed at spreading fear and disrupting communal harmony in the state.

"Gursidak Singh and Vishal Gill were involved in multiple instances of picking and dropping of grenades, weapons, etc., as per the NIA investigations, which are continuing," the NIA said in a press statement.

The NIA is continuing with its action against operatives of various terror modules threatening the security and sovereignty of the country.

The agency’s probe is ongoing, with more arrests and evidence collection expected in the coming weeks.

--IANS

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