Amritpal campaigner to rail bomber: Suspect’s roots traced to KCF stronghold

Authorities say the group coordinated with Malaysia-based handlers and Pakistan-based arms suppliers; investigators are cross-referencing family contacts with evidence from the rail line to determine if Panjwar served as a logistics hub for trans-border handlers.

Investigations centered on the newly surfaced radical outfit Chalda Vaheer Chakarwarti, Attariye, described by police as the operational front for the sabotage attempt; founded by kingpin Pardeep Singh Khalsa.

Police, with sarpanch Manjit Singh present, raided Jagroop’s house at Panjwar Khurd early on Tuesday and detained Satnam Singh, Jagroop’s brother who runs a village flour mill.

Around 10pm, Jagroop Singh, 39, was killed instantly when an explosive device detonated prematurely while he attempted to sabotage the freight rail line near Bathonia village on the Rajpura-Shambhu route.

The Patiala blast is described as the second rail attack in the region this year, following a similar blast in the Sirhind area on January 23.

During the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Jagroop Singh emerged as an active campaigner for Amritpal Singh's Waris Punjab De outfit.

Paramjit Singh Panjwar, one of two Khalistan Commando Force chiefs associated with Panjwar, was assassinated in Lahore, Pakistan, in 2023.

The article notes that Jagroop Singh, initially a local youth with no visible religious affiliations, reportedly transformed into a blue-attired Nihang over the past eight years, moving between various Sikh chavanis.