Suspect in Amritsar Temple Grenade Attack Killed in Police Encounter

Amritsar, March 17, 2025 – One man suspected to have been behind the grenade attack on a leading temple in Amritsar this week is shot dead in a police operation. 

The suspect, identified by the authorities as Harjit Singh, 32, is said to have been involved with an alleged militant group. The shootout took place on early Monday morning after receiving a tip-off that he was spotted on the outskirts of town.

The grenade attack, which occurred on March 14, was on the Golden Temple complex, a sacred place for millions of Sikhs across the globe. No casualties were reported, but the attack caused panic among the faithful and raised alarms about the safety of religious sites in the area.

Police sources reported that Singh had been evading the law since the attack, and a special task force had been dispatched to arrest him. The operation reached its climax with the fatal encounter when Singh allegedly fired on the officers who were trying to take him into custody. 

In the subsequent shoot-out, Singh was shot and subsequently pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.

A top police official confirmed Singh had been placed under surveillance for his suspected involvement in the attack, saying that he was suspected of having been part of a larger network that sought to destabilize the region.

Police statement -

We are committed to keeping our citizens and religious places safe," the officer said. "This meeting has facilitated closure of the investigation, but we still investigate the wider network behind the attack.

The grenade explosion, although not successful in inflicting major damage, has raised widespread alarm regarding security at religious places throughout Punjab. The authorities have assured greater vigilance and added security arrangements at religious places.

At the same time, leaders in the region and the Sikh community have denounced the attack as an act of trying to create discord and instability. "Such acts go against the teachings of peace and harmony," the well-known leader Gurcharan Singh said. "We will stand together as one to prevent such acts of violence from affecting the peace at our holy shrines.

The police encounter has been a major turn in the probe, but authorities have confirmed that the investigation into the grenade attack is still on.