A scooter parked near BSF Chowk in Jalandhar district, Punjab, caught fire on Tuesday evening, causing panic in the vicinity; however, there were no reported injuries, according to police sources. The incident took place around 8 PM on a busy road adjacent to the Punjab Frontier headquarters of the Border Security Force (BSF), which links the central city to the Amritsar-New Delhi national highway. Officials confirmed that the scooter, an Activa, was completely destroyed by the fire.
A police patrol team was in the area at the time of the incident. Senior police officials, along with forensic experts, a dog squad, and a bomb disposal team, promptly arrived at the scene to assess the situation. The area has since been cordoned off.
Jalandhar Police Commissioner Dhanpreet Kaur stated to PTI that it is premature to ascertain whether an explosion occurred. “Prima facie, the facts indicate that an Activa parked here caught fire. We are still verifying the facts on the ground,” she remarked.
The explosion’s impact scattered debris for several meters and damaged a nearby traffic light pole. Forensic teams have been diligently collecting evidence and samples from the site. Police have also begun questioning the scooter’s owner, Gurpreet Singh, who reported that his vehicle was overdue for mechanical service and that he works for a delivery company. Singh had parked the scooter outside the BSF headquarters after completing a delivery.
The incident comes ahead of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s scheduled visit to Jalandhar for his ‘Shukrana Yatra’ on Wednesday, where he plans to stay at his official residence in Old Baradari.
