Gurdaspur, Nov 15: A 21-year-old woman and a man hailing from Punjab’s Gurdaspur district have been apprehended in connection with the November 3 explosion on a railway track in Rajasthan’s Sri Ganganagar district, with investigators examining suspected links to Pakistan-based handlers, Punjab Police sources stated on Sunday.
The accused, identified as Mahakdeep Kaur and Davinder Singh, were taken into custody during a coordinated operation conducted jointly by the Rajasthan Anti-Terrorism Squad, Sri Ganganagar Police, and Punjab Police. According to Punjab Police sources, the breakthrough followed sustained technical tracking and close inter-state coordination with Rajasthan agencies.
Reports quoting Rajasthan police officials indicated that Kaur was allegedly communicating with two handlers operating from across the border, known by the aliases ‘Chacha’ and ‘Shah’. Investigators suspect the handlers relied on romantic overtures alongside financial incentives to radicalize and recruit her, allegedly transferring funds to execute the blast.
While Rajasthan Police have pointed to potential links with Pakistan’s intelligence apparatus, officials maintained that these connections remain under active verification.
The explosion occurred at approximately 9.45 pm on November 3 near Ramsinghpur along the Anupgarh-Suratgarh railway line, damaging sections of the track, shattering sleepers, and leaving a crater. Notably, a passenger train had crossed the same stretch roughly 75 minutes prior to the detonation.
Sources further revealed that Kaur had been residing separately from her husband, who is presently incarcerated in a drug trafficking case. Security officials suspect that foreign handlers may be deliberately targeting individuals facing personal or financial vulnerability.
