A suspected improvised explosive device (IED) blast near Nalagarh police station in Himachal Pradesh's Solan district on New Year's Day has sparked grave concerns over a possible Pakistan-backed terror plot.

The incident, occurring around 9:40 am, sent shockwaves through the local community, shattering windows and rattling structures up to 500 metres away.

No casualties were reported, yet the explosion's force cracked panes in an Army canteen just 40 metres from the site. Residents described a deafening boom that jolted them awake, prompting swift police action to cordon off the area.

Forensic teams swiftly descended on the scene, gathering samples from multiple spots while authorities combed through CCTV footage. Baddi Superintendent of Police Vinod Dhiman noted that scrap material piled nearby raised initial suspicions of an accidental blast, possibly involving paint or chemicals, but urged caution pending forensic results.

Himachal Pradesh Police have not yet confirmed deliberate sabotage, emphasising no prior threats were received. They appealed for public vigilance amid reports of shattered 16 mm-thick glass and structural tremors.

Punjab Police, however, view the event through a darker lens, suspecting orchestration by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to sow instability in the strategically sensitive region northwest of Delhi and south of Jammu & Kashmir. Senior officers coordinated with their Himachal counterparts, analysing photos and footage for cross-border links.

Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and Punjab Sovereignty Alliance (PSA) purportedly claimed responsibility via a joint press note surfacing on Thursday. They attributed the blast to frustration over synthetic drugs from Himachal's Baddi-Nalagarh pharmaceutical belt flooding Punjab, killing youth unchecked by authorities.

The note named US-based Gopi Nawanshehria and Kabal Singh as planners, with Nawanshehria linked to prior Punjab blasts since November 2024 targeting police sites. It issued stark warnings of escalated attacks on police vehicles and headquarters if drug trafficking persists.

Punjab Police dismiss the drug motive as a smokescreen. A senior officer asserted that foreign handlers, likely ISI-directed, recruit gullible youth for cash, devoid of genuine ideology, mirroring patterns in recent Punjab incidents.

This assessment aligns with BKI and PSA's history of claiming prior blasts, which investigations tied to ISI behest. The Nalagarh site, near a major drug manufacturing hub, amplifies fears of hybrid threats blending narco-terrorism with separatist rhetoric.

The Baddi-Nalagarh corridor's pharmaceutical prominence makes it a hotspot for synthetic drug production, allegedly routed to Punjab. Outfits like BKI, rooted in Khalistani militancy, have long exploited such grievances to mask external agendas.

Economic Times Online could not independently verify the press note's authenticity or the Times of India report quoting Punjab officials. Nonetheless, the claims fit a pattern of ISI-proxy operations destabilising India's border states.

Himachal authorities maintain an open probe, balancing accident theories with terror possibilities. SP Dhiman's update stressed no panic atmosphere, yet the blast's proximity to police premises heightens security protocols.

Broader implications loom for regional stability. Nalagarh's location bridges Punjab's drug-ravaged belts and Kashmir's volatile frontiers, ideal for ISI to test low-intensity disruptions.

Past BKI activities, including Nawanshehria's blasts, underscore evolving threats from diaspora handlers. Punjab's intensified crackdowns have pushed such modules into neighbouring states like Himachal.

Central agencies may soon intervene, mirroring responses to Punjab's serial explosions. Enhanced intelligence sharing between states could preempt further strikes.

Local leaders urged calm, but whispers of foreign hands fuel public unease. Forensic clarity on the explosive's nature—IED or otherwise—remains pivotal.

As investigations deepen, the Nalagarh blast exemplifies Pakistan's multi-pronged subversion tactics, blending terror claims with socio-economic bait. India's counter-terror grid faces yet another test in this porous northwest corridor.

Based On Economic Times News