In a key development in the May 5 blast outside the Border Security Force (BSF) complex in Jalandhar sources indicate that two officers had inspected the area just minutes before the incident took place and the blast occurred at around 7:55 pm near the main gate of the BSF premises in Guru Nanakpura while the officers are believed to have left the spot at around 7:45 pm after completing a check.
According to inputs from sources central agencies had already shared a prior alert about a possible incident and acting on this input officers were reportedly checking the outer walls and surroundings of the BSF complex shortly before the blast and officials say the area was already under high alert, and security teams were actively monitoring sensitive points.
Sources have suggested that officers had completed their inspection and moved away when the said explosion took place just a few minutes later and investigators are now examining this timeline closely as part of the overall probe.
The explosion happened in a busy area around 50 meters from a police booth and close to BSF Chowk where buses usually stop in the evening however at the time of the incident no bus was present at the exact and no injuries or casualties have been reported so far.
Initial findings point towards the possible use of an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) though officials have said that the exact cause will only be confirmed after forensic analysis and the use of IEDs has been seen in several incidents in Punjab over the past few years and is often linked to sleeper cell activity.
Eyewitnesses have claimed that a scooter believed to be an Activa was parked near the entrance and caught fire before the explosion and some people also reported seeing a man leaving a packet near the vehicle earlier in the evening but police have said that this detail is still being verified.
Soon after the blast security forces reached the spot and sealed the area and Jalandhar Commissioner of Police Dhanpreet Kaur confirmed that a police patrol was already present nearby which helped in a quick response while forensic teams have collected samples from the site and are working to establish the exact sequence of events.
Investigators are also examining a social media post by a group calling itself the Khalistan Liberation Army (KLA) which has claimed responsibility for the blast however officials have not verified the authenticity of this claim and are treating it as part of the investigation.
Sources say that teams from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) are likely to join the probe soon which could further deepen the investigation meanwhile security has been increased across key locations in the city and CCTV footage is being scanned to track movements before the blast and officials have maintained that all angles are being carefully examined to piece together a clear and accurate account of the incident.