Threatening calls, emails, and letters bearing the +92 country code had been arriving at BJP offices in Chandigarh and Ludhiana for days before the explosion outside the party’s Punjab headquarters — raising fresh concerns about coordinated cross-border intimidation.
BJP leaders in Punjab had been living under a shadow of fear for days before the explosion rocked the party’s state headquarters in Sector 37, Chandigarh. Multiple leaders had been receiving threatening phone calls originating from Pakistani numbers — bearing the country code +92 — along with anonymous letters and emails demanding their deaths or warning of grenade attacks.
Confirming the incidents, a senior BJP leader from Punjab said a letter containing explicit death threats against the party’s Organizing Secretary had been received at the Chandigarh office some time ago, and the matter was reported to the Chandigarh Police. The BJP office in Ludhiana separately received a series of threatening calls and letters that mentioned killings and grenade attacks targeting party leaders. Formal police complaints were lodged in both cities.
In a parallel development, a coordinated campaign using a so-called ‘toolkit‘ was also used to target several BJP leaders with death threats in the days leading up to the blast. A separate complaint regarding this campaign was filed with the police.
“Conditions reminiscent of the era of terrorism are beginning to emerge once again. Gangsterism, which was once rooted solely in Punjab, has now extended its reach to Chandigarh.”
Sources indicate that following the threats, both Chandigarh and Punjab Police held multiple reviews of security arrangements for BJP leaders across the state. Authorities are now considering enhancing the security cover for several leaders within Punjab.
Punjab BJP General Secretary Anil Sarin observed that the BJP’s popularity has been rising steadily in Punjab. He alleged that since Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s rally in Moga, anti-Punjab forces had been searching for an opportunity to orchestrate an incident — and the Chandigarh explosion was a direct consequence of that.
BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh said he was deeply concerned by the news of the blast, though all party leaders and staff were reported safe. Punjab BJP Media Secretary Vineet Joshi and spokesperson Pritpal Singh Baliyawal urged the administration and police to take immediate cognizance of the situation and ensure swift action.
Punjab BJP President Sunil Jakhar said the explosion at the party’s state office followed a string of grenade attacks on police stations across Punjab, as well as the vandalization of a statue of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar in Hoshiarpur. Jakhar stated that the incidents represent a concerted effort to undermine communal harmony in the state, and blamed the Punjab government’s failure to control the law-and-order situation as having allowed its consequences to spill into Chandigarh.
An officer from the Punjab Police confirmed that while Chandigarh Police are leading the primary investigation into the threats, Punjab Police are closely monitoring the broader situation. Threatening letters handed over by BJP leaders from both cities are currently under forensic and investigative examination.
Sidebar — Key Developments:
- Threatening calls from +92 Pakistani numbers received at BJP offices in Chandigarh and Ludhiana
- Death threat letter against BJP’s Punjab Organizing Secretary filed with Chandigarh Police
- A ‘toolkit’ used in a parallel coordinated campaign against BJP leaders
- Explosion at Punjab BJP headquarters, Sector 37, Chandigarh — all staff safe
- Security reviews underway; enhanced cover being considered for senior leaders
Voices:
- “The BJP is continuously expanding in Punjab. It is precisely for this reason that anti-BJP elements are resorting to such tactics.” — Manoranjan Kalia, Former Punjab Minister
- “No matter how hard separatist forces may try, they will never succeed in shattering the bonds of brotherhood that define Punjab.” — Sunil Jakhar, Punjab BJP President
Background: On the night of April 7–8 last year, a grenade was lobbed at the residence of former minister Manoranjan Kalia — an early sign of escalating threats against BJP figures in the region.
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