The worsening law and order situation in Punjab has people worried. Especially after the sensational murder of Shiv Sena leader Sudhir Suri. The killers shot at Suri in broad daylight on a busy Amritsar street yesterday. The Hindu leader’s murder in presence of the local police and his own personal security is chilling.
Police has identified the alleged shooter as one Sandeep Singh Sunny for Hindu leader’s murder. He runs a garment shop in the area. Cops arrested him from his shop. As per police, Sunny claims that he killed the Sena leader as he was protesting in front of his shop.
But, the incident is pointing towards a major controversy as the accused’s car had the sticker of ‘Waris Panjab De’. Police suspect that Sandeep is a member of the Waris Panjab De group. It is a two-year-old hardline outfit, now headed by a Dubai-returned controversial leader Amritpal Singh.
Bhindranwale 2.0 behind Hindu leader’s assassination?
Deceased Punjabi artist Deep Sidhu had formed the hardline group in last September. The 29 years old Amritpal is being called in Punjab’s religio-political circles as the Bhindranwale 2.0.
Sudhir Suri as well as Amritpal Singh were having spats through videos. Suri and other hardline Sikh leaders had exchanged provocative statements through their videos. Sudhir had even got threats to his life, but apparently, the local police failed to do the needful.
Some pictures of the BJP leaders are said to have been found in a file recovered from his car. Police has also recovered a .32-bore licensed pistol from him. Angry Shiv Sainiks set the attacker’s shop on fire and damaged his car. Violence spread in many parts of Amritsar and some other districts after Hindu leader’s murder.
Sources said police is investigating the possibility of involvement of cross-border Khalistanis, the ISI, or the role of gangsters. Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav has appealed to people to maintain peace.
“Lawlessness in Punjab”
Reacting on the incident, MLA (Amritsar-North) Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh, said, “I request everybody to maintain peace and harmony. It’s a total collapse of policing system in the holy city of Amritsar. The incident should not be given any other angle.”
Leader of opposition, Pratap Singh Bajwa has criticised the Hindu leader’s murder. He said, “While Punjab CM Bhagwant is busy campaigning in other states for AAP. The lawlessness in Punjab is at its peak. Day light murder of Shiv Sena leader in Amritsar shows no one is safe in Punjab at the moment. It seems that the state has given a free run to Gangsters and criminals.”
“Punjab has already paid a heavy price during the troubled period from 1980-90s. We shouldn’t allow anyone to play with our hard-earned peace. It’s my appeal to all Punjabis that we should unite and defeat mischievous elements which want to destroy the social fabric of our state,” he added.
BJP leader Priti Gandhi tweeted, “Right under the nose of several police officers in Amritsar, Hindu activist Sudhir Suri shot dead at point blank range. He was reportedly on the hitlist of pro-Khalistani elements. Meanwhile Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann is busy with AAP’s election campaign in Gujarat. What a shame!!”