AMRITSAR: The Golden Temple, a Sikh holy site in Amritsar of India, was shaken by a second blast in less than 36 hours on Monday, police said.
According to the authorities, no injuries or property damage were reported, and police are still investigating the incident’s possible causes.
The late-Saturday-night explosion in the northern metropolis of the Sikh-majority Punjab state injured at least one person, according to police, who said they were still looking into the incident.
The Golden Temple, a shimmering tower in the middle of a giant artificial pond, is revered by Sikhs. But there have been violent incidents, most notably in 1984 when Indian Special Forces invaded to drive out Sikh extremists. Following the Monday morning explosion, when hundreds of people would have been at the shrine, devotees told AFP that authorities quickly rushed to gather forensic evidence.
Jasbir Singh Patti, a worshipper, said, “Such incidence is creating panic, and it is time for the police administration to act quickly to investigate and tell the truth to the public.”
In March, a search operation was launched in Punjab to arrest a firebrand Sikh separatist, which sparked vandalism and protests among the diaspora. It was not clear whether the latest blasts were interlinked.
To locate Amritpal Singh, 30, who was detained last month, thousands of police personnel were stationed in the northern state, and mobile internet service was suspended for days. Singh gained fame by advocating for Khalistan, a distinct Sikh nation whose pursuit in India’s 1980s and 1990s provoked deadly bloodshed.
