Punjab rail blast near Shambhu: Bikram Majithia slams CM Mann, questions handling of situation
PTC Web Desk: Senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia on Tuesday questioned the Punjab Government’s handling of law and order after a blast on a railway track near Shambhu, alleging a lack of accountability and preparedness amid rising security threats in the state.
Citing earlier incidents, including the Sirhind blast and a suspicious recovery in Gurdaspur, Majithia said the repeated occurrences had raised serious security concerns across the state and questioned the handling of law and order by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
???? Massive explosion on the Shambhu–Ambala railway track, tracks damaged, body mutilated, train services halted
???? After Sirhind blast and suspicious recovery in Gurdaspur, repeated incidents raise serious security concerns in Punjab.
???? What is Chief Minister and Home Minister… pic.twitter.com/P7Dpi0dXes — Bikram Singh Majithia (@bsmajithia) April 28, 2026
Alleging administrative failure, Majithia claimed there has been no clear action plan or high-level review despite the alarming trend, accusing the government of misusing police for political purposes rather than ensuring public safety. He further alleged that authorities are focused on protecting those involved in controversial acts and shielding certain groups while common citizens remain vulnerable. Warning of a potential deterioration reminiscent of Punjab’s troubled past, he posed key questions on accountability, governance and the need for urgent corrective measures.
Notably, a blast was reported late Monday night on the Ambala–Amritsar freight corridor near the Rajpura–Shambhu stretch in Patiala district, damaging railway tracks and briefly disrupting train movement. The explosion occurred around 8.30 pm in a relatively isolated area close to the Haryana border.
The police said an unidentified man, later identified as Jagroop Singh from a village in Tarn Taran district, was killed in the blast. His body was found severely mutilated, with remains scattered over a radius of nearly 100 metre. The police suspect that he was attempting to carry out the explosion and died during the process.
Patiala SSP Varun Sharma said initial findings suggest it was not just a minor blast but an attempted major detonation. “The individual believed to be behind the act died at the spot. No other casualties or property damage have been reported,” he said.
Security agencies, including the Government Railway Police (GRP), Railway Protection Force (RPF), and central intelligence units, rushed to the scene and launched a joint investigation. Officials recovered a SIM card and other forensic evidence from the site, which are now being examined as part of a technical probe.
Two motorcycles bearing Uttar Pradesh and Haryana registration numbers were also found near the location. The police are verifying ownership details and tracking movement patterns.
The deceased was identified through a mobile phone recovered intact from the site, despite the intensity of the explosion. Most parts of his body were destroyed, with only portions of the torso remaining.
The incident comes days after a threatening email warned of planned blasts on railway tracks across Punjab and Haryana, including key cities such as Ludhiana, Amritsar, Bathinda and Ferozepur. The warning, which mentioned a specific date and time, was reportedly not taken seriously by authorities.
This is the second such incident involving railway tracks in Punjab in recent months. Earlier this year, a blast near Sirhind in Fatehgarh Sahib district caused a goods train engine to derail, injuring the loco pilot.
Shiromani Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal criticised the government, calling the blast a result of negligence despite prior alerts. He said repeated incidents, including past attacks on police establishments and intelligence offices, point to a deteriorating security situation.
Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring also raised concerns, citing the blast and recent killings in Batala as signs of worsening law and order. He alleged that the state government is focused on political survival rather than public safety.
- PTC NEWS
