Patiala rail blast Suspected bomber killed during failed sabotage attempt

Chandigarh- A late-night explosion on a railway track in Punjab’s Patiala district has been confirmed as a failed sabotage attempt, with the suspected bomber killed during the detonation, police said.

The blast occurred around 10 pm on Monday near Bathonia village along the Rajpura-Shambhu freight rail line, briefly disrupting train movement and damaging a section of the track. Railway officials later restored the affected stretch.

Senior Superintendent of Police Varun Sharma said the explosion was not accidental but an attempted detonation that went wrong, killing the person allegedly trying to carry it out.

The deceased has been identified as Jagroop Singh, a resident of Panjwar Khurd in Tarn Taran district, an area that had witnessed militancy in the past.

Investigators recovered the suspect’s mutilated body from the site along with key materials, including a SIM card, a damaged mobile phone, wires, and two motorcycles. Officials said these findings have prompted a deeper technical investigation into possible links and communication trails.

Police initially believed the explosion to be low intensity, but forensic examination indicated a deliberate act of sabotage. Authorities are now probing whether the suspect had accomplices, and multiple teams have been deployed to conduct raids in the region.

Officials added that while there is no immediate confirmation of a sophisticated improvised explosive device, the nature of the materials recovered suggests planning and coordination.

The incident has raised concerns due to its proximity to the Punjab-Haryana border near Shambhu, an area that has seen heightened activity in recent times.

This is the second such case involving a railway track in Punjab this year. In January, a similar blast damaged a locomotive engine and injured a train driver in Fatehgarh Sahib district. Agencies are examining whether there could be any connection between the two incidents.