Just days before Punjab goes to polls, three people have died in a powerful explosion during an election rally near Bathinda on Tuesday.
15 people were injured in the blast, ten of them critically, and were taken to a local government hospital in Maur Mandi.
The suspected pressure cooker improvised explosive device was placed in a car just next to the venue of the rally of Congress candidate Harminder Jassi.
Harminder Jassi, who is a relative of the controversial head of dera Sacha Sauda, Sirsa- Grumeet Ram Raheem, had just finished his address to the gathering when the blast occurred. Jassi was unhurt and was whisked away by his security guards.
Policemen inside Maur Mandi hospital after a suspected IED blast during an election rally in Maur Mandi, Bathinda (Punjab). Source: ANI/ Twitter
According to eyewitnesses, the white car in which the suspected IED was placed had been parked at the spot for some time and no one removed it despite the police making announcements to do so, news agency IANS reported.
Some people also alleged that shots were also fired towards the Congress candidate’s car.
Punjab Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh condemned the blast and called it a conspiracy against to Congress.
He said Congress' political rivals want to disrupt the peaceful election process to "scuttle Congress' ride to a sweeping win in the election".
Police officials investigating the incident did not rule out a conspiracy behind the blast.
Punjab goes to polls on February 4, 2017.
