AAP functionary attacked in Ludhiana, car set on fire; gunshots fired in alleged drug mafia retaliation

LUDHIANA: A group of assailants barged into the house of the President of a Truck Union in village Lehra, who is also the Gill Halka coordinator of the Transport Wing of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), on Saturday late night.

It is alleged that the accused first set the victim's Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire car on fire by throwing petrol on it. As soon as the victim came out of the house on hearing the noises, the accused fired at least six gunshots targeting him; however, the man had a narrow escape. The accused then fled from the spot, and the victim informed the police.The Dehlon police, on the complaint of the victim, identified as Sukhwinder Singh Shinda, a resident of village Lehra, registered a case. The victim claimed that he was attacked by the aides of some drug peddler, as he got him arrested some time ago, supporting the programme of the Punjab govt ‘Yudh Nashey Virudh’.Speaking to TOI, Sukhwinder Singh Shinda said that the time was 10:58 PM on Saturday when he was at home with his family. The main gate of the house was locked, and they were about to sleep. Meanwhile, he heard some noise from the verandah of the house and rushed out to check the matter.“As soon as I reached out, I saw my car burning. Three miscreants were in the verandah, one of whom was carrying a gun in his hands. On seeing me, the assailants fired at least five to six gunshots to shoot me, but I had a narrow escape.

I raised an alarm, after which the accused escaped. Thereafter, with the help of the family, I doused the fire and also informed the police,” he added.Shinda added that on checking the CCTVs installed inside and outside his house, he noticed that there were a total of five men who executed the crime. They came in a white car. While two of them kept sitting in the car, three assailants jumped through the main gate of the house to enter and executed the crime.Sukhwinder Singh further said, “I know the accused who was carrying a gun in his hand, whose name is Kuldeep Singh alias Kuldeep Manak. Kuldeep Singh is a drug peddler. Under the programme ‘Yudh Nashey Virudh’, I and some of my associates have been actively working against drug peddlers. Some time ago, Kuldeep's associate, who is a drug smuggler, was arrested, and therefore Kuldeep nursed a rivalry against me and attacked me.

”The complainant said that the police have also apprehended one of the accused. An official quote from the police is awaited.

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