Mohali, Sept 14 — The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a chargesheet against three men accused of carrying out a grenade attack on the Thakurdwara Sanatan Temple in Amritsar’s Chheharta area on March 15, officials said on Sunday. The chargesheet, submitted before the Special NIA Court in Mohali, names Vishal Gill alias Chuchi, Bhagwant Singh alias Manna Bhatti, and Diwan Singh alias Sunny for their roles in the conspiracy and execution of the attack.
According to the NIA, Gill was identified as one of the two bike-borne assailants who hurled the grenade in the early hours of March 15. His associate, Gursidak Singh alias Sidki, was killed in a police encounter two days later. Bhagwant Singh allegedly provided shelter, hid grenades, arranged motorcycles for reconnaissance, and offered logistical support before and after the strike. Diwan Singh, the agency said, harboured co-accused and destroyed evidence.
Another accused, Sharanjeet Kumar, was arrested from Gaya, Bihar, on September 5, and investigations against him remain ongoing. A fifth suspect, Badalpreet Singh, is absconding and is believed to be abroad, officials added.
Investigators said the probe has uncovered evidence of terror funds being transferred from handlers overseas to local operatives using digital channels such as UPI and MTSS. “Efforts are under way to track the money trail, identify absconders, and establish the international linkages of the module,” an NIA official noted, adding that the network appeared to be part of a larger conspiracy aimed at spreading fear and provoking communal discord in Punjab and beyond.
The attack, though it caused no fatalities, had triggered alarm across the region and reinforced concerns about cross-border funding and recruitment of local operatives in Punjab.
