Key suspect nabbed in Punjab freight corridor railway track blast case

The Punjab police have made a key arrest in the Shambhu railway track blast case, uncovering a pro-Khalistan terror module with international connections and links to multiple terror incidents.

The Punjab police announced on Saturday that they arrested another individual in connection with the freight corridor railway track blast in Shambhu, Patiala.

Gurjinder Singh alias Baba Beant, a resident of Bidhipur in Gurdaspur, was arrested by the State Special Operation Cell in Amritsar, Patiala Police and Counter Intelligence wing in Pathankot during a joint operation, according to Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav.

Gurjinder is a key associate of Jagroop Singh, who was killed while attempting to detonate explosives on the track on the night of April 27.

Preliminary investigations revealed that Gurjinder and Jagroop had been long-time associates. On the day of the Shambhu blast, the two travelled separately to Rajpura to avoid detection.

Gurjinder was present at the site when the blast occurred, but managed to escape unhurt as he was standing at a distance, DGP Yadav said, adding that Gurjinder fled the spot only after realising that Jagroop had died in the premature detonation.

Investigation uncovers terror network

Gurjinder's arrest came in continuation of the investigation into the blast, which resulted in the death of Jagroop while he was attempting to plant an IED that detonated prematurely.

The police said they have already arrested four highly radicalised individuals: Pardeep Singh Khalsa, Kulwinder Singh (alias Bagga), Satnam Singh (alias Satta), and Gurpreet Singh (alias Gopi). They recovered a hand grenade, two .30 bore pistols, sophisticated communication devices, and laptops from their possession.

Additionally, a substantial cache of militant hardware, including a Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG), hand grenades, explosives, and high-end pistols, was recovered based on information provided by Jagroop's brother, Satnam (alias Satta).

Gurjinder Singh's interrogation revealed clear links between three terror acts: the grenade attack on CIA Moga on November 7, 2025, the Sirhind railway track blast on January 23, and the Shambhu blast on April 27. These incidents were executed by the same terror module under the direct instructions of handlers based in Malaysia, who are further connected to handlers in the USA and Pakistan.

"With this arrest and earlier recoveries, all three terror-related incidents in Moga, Sirhind, and Shambhu are successfully solved," DGP Yadav said.

Sharing operational details, Assistant Inspector General, SSOC Amritsar, Sukhminder Singh Mann said in an intelligence-led operation, key accused Gurjinder Singh alias Baba Beant has been arrested from the Amritsar area.

Patiala Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Varun Sharma further disclosed that to evade detection, the module maintained strict radio silence and took extensive precautions during their movements. Further investigations are ongoing, he added.

Pro-Khalistan module behind the blast

A pro-Khalistan terror module, backed by Pakistan's ISI, was responsible for the blast, while four of its members were arrested earlier.

The explosion occurred near Bothonia village on the rail track dedicated to freight trains, causing damage and leaving a small crater beneath the railway line, police said.

Initially characterised as a low-intensity blast, later investigations determined it was an attempt to sabotage the track, police said.

This incident marked the second attempt in the past three months to target the freight rail corridor track. Earlier, in January, a blast on a dedicated freight corridor railway track in Fatehgarh Sahib's Sirhind damaged a train engine and injured a loco pilot.