"Atmosphere of fear in Punjab": Union Minister Ravneet Bittu meets BJP leader Manoranjan Kalia

Jalandhar (Punjab) [India], April 8 (ANI): Union Minister Ravneet Bittu met Bharatiya Janata Party leader Manoranjan Kalia after a blast was reported outside his residence and said that there is an atmosphere of fear in Punjab.
"Punjab has gone through things like these, but even then, grenades were not used like this. It seems as if grenades are easily available in toy shops. Manoranjan Kalia is one of the most senior leaders in the state and has seen the years of militancy in Punjab," Bittu told ANI.
He attacked the Punjab government and said it had lost control of the law and order situation in the state.
"An e-rikshaw passes by his residence at around 1:15 am, and a grenade is thrown inside. His vehicles and the exteriors of his residence have borne the impact of the blast. The government has lost control of the law and order situation in the state... There is an atmosphere of fear in Punjab. Drugs are being openly used, and even police personnel are being caught with drugs. Two groups have formed in the state- one of those who have come from Delhi, and the second one, of those who are sitting here in Punjab," he added.

BJP State President Sunil Jakhar lashed out at Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government over the law and order situation in the state and raised questions over security, hours after a blast was reported outside BJP leader Manoranjan Kalia's residence in Jalandhar.
"CM Bhagwant Mann has deployed an intelligence team of Punjab Police at the Delhi Congress headquarters. He said in the assembly that I have intelligence about what happened in the Delhi Congress meeting. Where was this intelligence when a bomb was thrown at Manoranjan Kalia's residence?" Jakhar said.
A blast was reported outside the residence of BJP leader Manoranjan Kalia in Punjab's Jalandhar in the early hours today.
"Around 1 am, we got information of a blast here, after which we reached the spot and started the investigation. The forensic team is investigating the matter...We are also monitoring the CCTV... The forensic team is investigating whether it is a grenade attack or something else," Dhanpreet Kaur, Jalandhar Police Commissioner, told reporters.
BJP leader Manoranjan Kalia said that he was sleeping when the blast occurred outside his residence.
"There was a blast at around 1 am...I was sleeping, and I thought that it was the sound of thunder...Later, I was informed that a blast had taken place...after this, I sent my gunman to the police station...CCTV is being investigated; forensic experts are also present here," Kalia said. (ANI)