Chandigarh, May 7 -- Twin blasts outside high-security installations in Jalandhar and Amritsar within a three-hour span on Tuesday night have put Punjab on high alert, as police suspect a plot to cause disruptions ahead of the Operation Sindoor anniversary. The National Investigation Agency (NIA), Indian Army and central forensic teams have launched a coordinated probe into the incidents, which mark the third major blast in the state within 10 days. The first explosion occurred around 8pm outside the Punjab Frontier headquarters of the Border Security Force (BSF) in Jalandhar, involving a parked Honda Activa scooter. The high-intensity blast shattered windowpanes and scattered debris across a busy area, though no casualties were reported. Police said the initial probe revealed that it was an improvised explosive device (IED) and that RDX was placed inside a dustbin near the gate. They also hinted that a timer might have been used. Jalandhar Police Commissioner Dhanpreet Kaur said an FIR has been registered and initial investigations suggest some form of explosive material was used in the blast. "Our forensic teams have collected explosive swabs which have been sent to a forensic laboratory for examination. We believe that the blast was carried out using explosives," she said, adding that technical investigations and CCTV footage reviews are ongoing and that three to four leads are currently being pursued. At 11.15pm, a second blast rocked the Khassa cantonment area in Amritsar, targeting the boundary wall of the sensitive zone housing both army and BSF establishments near the Attari-Wagah international check post. The impact knocked down a heavy tin sheet used to block visibility from outside. Preliminary probe indicates that two low-intensity grenades were hurled. Amritsar (Rural) SSP Suhail Mir Qasim said initial inspections indicate that explosives were thrown toward the boundary wall, causing the blast. Forensic specialists and a bomb disposal unit are conducting a joint search operation with the army and the BSF to identify the nature of the device thrown at the wall, he said. Punjab director general of police Gaurav Yadav, who rushed to Amritsar and Jalandhar early this morning, inspected both blast sites. "It's part of a design to cause disruption and spread fear in Punjab ahead of the Operation Sindoor anniversary," he told reporters. While the Khalistan Liberation Army (KLA) claimed responsibility for the Jalandhar blast, Yadav dismissed the group as "ISI stooges" and a "non-existent organisation." In an unverified social media post, the banned KLA termed the blast as as "revenge" for the encounter of Ranjit Singh, a key suspect in the killing of security personnel in Gurdaspur. While the police have detained the Jalandhar scooter's owner-an e-commerce delivery agent-investigators are also probing links to the April 27 Rajpura rail track blast. Police have described the Rajpura blast accused as "radicalised habitual criminals" belonging to modules receiving support from Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence. A senior police official, pleading anonymity, said the role of a Pakistan-based gangster Shehzadi Bhatti is also closely being investigated after a few leads raised suspicion about his involvement as the "mastermind". Since September 2024, Punjab has seen 21 such low-intensity blasts that have primarily targeted police establishments. As part of measures to beef up security in the state, bullet proof sheets were installed at the main gate of Punjab Police headquarters in Chandigarh following intel on possible attacks on Punjab Police installations. "Following the DGP's directions, a high alert has been sounded in Amritsar district. We have checked security of all central forces and army areas and state police has been asked to increase patrolling in such areas," said a senior police officer. "A large-scale special checking drive is being carried out across the city. We have prepared lists of potential offenders and individuals who may be involved in such incidents or could provide shelter to criminals. Special teams have been deployed to keep a close watch on these elements," he said. "In addition, police personnel in plain clothes have been deployed to monitor suspicious vehicles, particularly two-wheelers and cars, that could be used in criminal activities. They are sharing real-time information via wireless communication, enabling quick response teams to take immediate action and detain suspects for questioning", he added....