Chandigarh/Nawanshahr: Punjab Police on Thursday claimed a major breakthrough in the investigation into the Nalagarh Police Station blast in Himachal Pradesh, with the arrest of two operatives linked to the Pakistan-ISI-backed Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terror network and the recovery of an improvised explosive device (IED).
Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said the arrests were made as part of an ongoing drive to ensure safety and security in Punjab, following the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann. The operation was carried out in close coordination with Himachal Pradesh Police and central agencies.
The arrested men have been identified as Shamsher Singh alias Sheru alias Kamal and Pardeep Singh alias Deepu, both residents of Rahon in SBS Nagar district. An IED was recovered from their possession.
According to the DGP, the accused were acting on the directions of Shushant Chopra, a close associate of Gurpreet alias Gopi Nawanshahria and BKI mastermind Harwinder Rinda. Preliminary investigations revealed that on December 31, 2025, the two accused, along with two accomplices, transported an IED from Punjab to Himachal Pradesh. The explosive was later used in the blast at Nalagarh Police Station on January 1, 2026, as part of a larger conspiracy targeting police establishments.
Further investigations are underway to establish backward and forward linkages in the case, the DGP said.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Nawanshahr, Tushar Gupta, said the role of the arrested accused came to light during the investigation of an FIR registered under the NDPS Act at Rahon police station. Based on disclosures made by the accused and subsequent follow-up action, another IED was recovered from a location pointed out by them, corroborating their involvement in the terror conspiracy.
The SSP added that two more individuals involved in the Nalagarh blast have been identified and raids are being conducted to arrest them.
In this connection, a separate FIR (No. 20 dated January 29, 2026) has been registered at Rahon police station under Section 25 of the Arms Act; Sections 4 and 5 of the Explosives Substances Act; Sections 10, 13, 15, 16, 17 and 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA); and Sections 113(1) and 113(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
