Suspected terror attack foiled in Mohali, Punjab, suspects arrested and IED diffused
Police in the Indian city of Mohali, Punjab, announced on Thursday 4 June that they had foiled a planned terror attack by arresting two people associated with a "foreign-based terror operative" and diffusing a 2.5kg RDX-based improvised explosive device.
According to the Punjab director general of police, Gaurav Yadav, the IED was "fully assembled and ready for use", adding that the police intervention prevented an attack on critical public infrastructure in Mohali and averted a potentially catastrophic threat to public safety and security.
The suspects are Amritsar residents Mani Singh, 32, and his brother-in-law, Abhishek Kumar, 28. Preliminary investigations have revealed that they travelled to Mohali by bus, carrying the IED with them.
Acting on "credible intelligence inputs", teams from the State Special Operations Cell responded to the incident and apprehended the two suspects near a park. A bomb disposal team neutralised the IED.
It was also reported that the suspects had recently been in contact with a foreign-based handler, who had offered them money to carry out terror-related activities. Punjab police have said that both suspects were facing financial difficulties and thus accepted the offer.
