Jalandhar, January 17
Senior Congress leader and MLA Pargat Singh expressed deep concern today, stating that the continuous string of criminal incidents across the Doaba region has created a climate of fear among the public. “Today, a student was shot dead by gangsters in Jalandhar, following the murder of an Aam Aadmi Party worker in Hoshiarpur yesterday. The law and order situation in Punjab has reached a dangerous tipping point, with gangsters and criminals operating with newfound confidence. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, in his capacity as Home Minister, has clearly lost control over the state’s security apparatus”, he said in a stement issue here.
Pargat noted that under the current administration, incidents of robbery, extortion, gang wars, and murders have seen a steady rise. Scarcely a day passes without reports of firing or killings in either urban or rural Punjab. He emphasized that Doaba, being a prominent NRI belt, is witnessing a rapid surge in extortion cases.
Pargat pointed out that the Jewellers have become specific targets for organized crime. “Just two days ago, gold and silver jewellery worth ₹1.25 crore was looted from Joyalukkas (Joy Jewellers) in Hoshiarpur. In Lakhan Kalan village of Kapurthala, gangsters opened fire in broad daylight, while four days ago in Phagwara, 7–8 rounds were fired early in the morning at Sudhir Sweets over an extortion demand’, he rued.
Pargat also said that the violence has turned fatal in multiple instances. He added, “AAP worker Balwinder Singh Satkartar was shot dead by motorcycle-borne assailants in Miani village, Hoshiarpur, while his companion sustained a gunshot wound to the shoulder. Furthermore, in Adampur, Jalandhar, a youth returning from a private university was murdered in cold blood during the day.”
Pargat further highlighted the alarming trend of bomb threat emails being sent to schools, colleges, District Magistrate offices, courts and railway stations across Punjab. He criticized the government’s cyber-security system for its complete failure to identify the perpetrators. “The government and police must clarify the origin of these threats and reveal what concrete actions have been taken so far”, he said, while adding arguing that the police are constantly diverted by these threat emails, hardened criminals take advantage of the distraction to commit heinous crimes and escape. “The government is failing in its primary duty to provide security to the citizens, and the peace of the state is being systematically disturbed”, he concluded.
