Security Alert in Bathinda: Petrol Bomb Attack Targets BJP Leader Dr Tarsem Garg’s Clinic

A late-night explosion outside a political figure’s office has put Punjab police on high alert just days ahead of a scheduled visit by the Chief Minister.

The quiet of a residential neighbourhood in Bathinda was shattered late Monday night when two masked individuals targeted the clinic of BJP leader Dr. Tarsem Garg. One of the assailants approached the gate, ignited a bottle filled with petrol, and hurled it into the premises. As the clinic interior caught the blast, the second suspect reportedly filmed the act on a mobile device—a chilling detail that suggests the perpetrators intended for the footage to circulate.

By the time local residents rushed out to investigate the source of the loud explosion, the duo had already fled into the darkness. While the clinic sustained damage, no injuries were reported; Dr. Garg, who was inside the premises during the attack, escaped unharmed. Police and forensic teams spent the early hours of Tuesday scouring the scene for evidence, while a manhunt has been launched to identify the suspects.

A Pre-Visit Security Crisis

The timing of the attack has escalated the stakes for local authorities. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is scheduled to visit the district in the coming days, and this security breach near an RSS office has drawn immediate scrutiny. Investigators are currently looking into a claim of responsibility made via a phone call to the leader’s family, though officers caution that the authenticity of this call is still being verified.

Dr. Garg, who previously held ties with the Aam Aadmi Party before his shift to the BJP, has been remarkably candid with investigators. He maintains that he had received no prior threats and is unaware of any specific personal or political rivalries that would trigger such a violent escalation.

Why it Matters

This incident is a worrying development in the state’s volatile political landscape. Beyond the immediate threat to a local leader, the use of a petrol bomb to create a spectacle—documented on camera—points to a calculated effort to manufacture fear rather than just cause physical harm. In the context of an upcoming high-profile government visit, the attack functions as a test of the state’s intelligence and law enforcement readiness. Whether this is an isolated incident or part of a broader trend of political intimidation remains the central question for the Punjab police as they work to restore order in the city.