Chandigarh twin blasts: Accused conducted recce three hours before attack

In the text messages recovered by police, it has been revealed that gangster Randeep Malik, a close associate of designated terrorist Goldy Brar, directed the accused to turn off their mobile phones before the blast and delete all chats

Police probe has revealed that the two accused in the November 26 twin blasts in Sector 26 had stayed in Kharar a day before the attack and conducted recce of De’Orra and Seville clubs just three hours before the blast.

The accused, Vinay and Ajay, maintained continuous contact with Malik, who is based abroad. He had pre-planned their escape route, guiding them from Chandigarh to Mohali and then onward to Hisar, which the accused followed meticulously. (HT)

They identified their targets based on photographs sent to them.

In the text messages recovered by police, it has been revealed that gangster Randeep Malik, a close associate of designated terrorist Goldy Brar, directed the accused to turn off their mobile phones before the blast and delete all chats.

This evidence has become central to the ongoing investigation. The accused, Vinay and Ajay, maintained continuous contact with Malik, who is based abroad. He had pre-planned their escape route, guiding them from Chandigarh to Mohali and then onward to Hisar, which the accused followed meticulously.

Malik has a criminal history, including a 2011 assault case in Kurukshetra and issuing threats. He moved to the US in 2015.

The duo revealed that they had planned to carry out the attack at 3 am. Officials privy to investigation said the incident was an attempt to instil fear among other club owners, pressuring them to continue paying extortion money to gangster Goldy Brar, who has made similar demands in the tricity area in the past.

Escape to Rajasthan thwarted

Police added that the accused were preparing to flee to Rajasthan under Malik’s instructions. He had advised them to stay in Hisar temporarily before moving further. However, Chandigarh Police intercepted their plans, reaching the suspects before their escape. During interrogation, Vinay disclosed his background, including him being the student council president of a college and his mother’s position as a warden in Sirsa Jail.

The breakthrough in the case came from CCTV footage at the Hisar bypass toll plaza, where the suspects were seen taking a lift. After disembarking from a bus, they took lift from a bike and later switched to a car, which transported them to their respective villages. Police are set to interrogate the car’s driver to determine their involvement in the crime.

Both suspects, reportedly habitual drug users, were arrested on Friday evening, following an encounter on the outskirts of Hisar. They were shot in the legs after they had opened fire at STF Hisar personnel when told to surrender. They remain admitted to Civil Hospital, Hisar.