New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on August 31 arrested three additional accused individuals from Punjab’s SBS Nagar in Himachal Pradesh’s Nalagarh IED blast case.
According to an NIA statement posted on X, the central agency arrested Arshdeep Singh @ Arsh Kandola, resident of Mohalla Sirhindiya, Rahon, District SBS Nagar, Punjab; Karanpartap, resident of Mohalla Rota, Rahon, District SBS Nagar, Punjab and Diljot Saini, resident of Jhansi Park Colony, Nawanshehar Road, Rahon, District SBS Nagar, Punjab.
All three individuals were already under arrest in connection with a separate case (FIR No. 11/2026) registered at Police Station Garhshankar, Punjab, before being taken into custody by the NIA for the Nalagarh blast case. This is a breakthrough in the 1st January 2026 improvised explosive device (IED) explosion at the Nalagarh Police Station in Himachal Pradesh.
The blast occurred around 9:40 AM near the outer wall adjoining the room of the Investigating Officer inside the Nalagarh police station premises. Initially registered as FIR No. 02/2026 at Police Station Nalagarh, the probe was subsequently taken over by the NIA, which re-registered the case as RC-27/2026/NIA/DLI on 8th May 2026 under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Explosive Substances Act, and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. With these three arrests, the total number of accused arrested by the NIA in connection with the IED blast has risen to six.
Earlier, the agency had taken custody of three other accused: Mahavir Kumar @ Kaka, Ajay Mehra, and Manpreet Singh @ Mani. Those initial three individuals had originally been arrested by the Punjab Police under FIR No. 02/2026 of SSOC, Mohali, Punjab, before being formally remanded to the NIA.
The arrests are part of an ongoing, broader investigation by the NIA to dismantle the full terror network, establish cross-linkages among the operatives, and determine the exact roles played by each conspirator in executing the attack. Further investigation remains underway.
(With inputs from ANI)
