Bathinda, Punjab witnessed two separate alleged petrol bomb incidents on Monday, a day that also saw Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann staying overnight in the city. The events transpired despite a heightened security presence due to the Chief Minister’s visit.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that the first incident occurred at Amarpura Basti, where residents reported being targeted by a group of approximately 15 armed individuals. The attackers allegedly damaged multiple houses, vandalised CCTV cameras, and injured a youth. Reports indicate that the assailants issued threats of further violence upon their potential release from custody and hurled abuses at the residents.
Local inhabitants suggested a potential link between this incident and a complaint lodged against certain drug peddlers roughly two months prior. Babbu Khan, whose residence was among those allegedly attacked, stated that his son sustained injuries and property was damaged. He further alleged that the perpetrators openly defied residents to involve the police.
Another young resident recounted receiving threats of severe physical harm, including a specific threat to sever his arm, circulated via video. Several elderly residents expressed their distress and fear following the events. In response to the Amarpura Basti incident, the City Superintendent of Police (SP), Narinder Singh, confirmed that a case has been registered at the Canal Colony police station. Four individuals have been arrested, and a juvenile has also been apprehended in connection with the case.
However, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), City-I, Amritpal Singh Bhaati, indicated that the incident might not be directly related to drug peddling activities but rather stemmed from an old enmity between parties. This statement introduces a different possible motive for the violence.
The second alleged petrol bomb incident targeted a homoeopathic clinic situated on Mela Ram Road. As of the latest reports, no arrests have been made in connection with this attack. CCTV footage from the vicinity reportedly shows two youths involved in the incident, with one individual’s face obscured.
In the aftermath of both occurrences, political leaders from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Indian National Congress convened a joint press conference at the clinic of Dr Tarsem Garg. They collectively called for a thorough and expeditious investigation into the incidents.
Prominent among those present were AAP MLA Jagroop Singh Gill, former BJP MLA Sarup Chand Singla, and former Congress district president Ashok Kumar. Dr Tarsem Garg’s wife, Rajni Jindal, who had recently contested the municipal council elections as a BJP candidate, reported receiving a WhatsApp call from an international number. The caller reportedly identified himself as Shahzad Bhatti before disconnecting and subsequently sending two text messages.
A senior police official indicated that the authorities possess some leads and are actively working to identify and apprehend the individuals responsible for these attacks. The dual incidents have raised concerns regarding public safety and law and order in Bathinda, particularly given their occurrence during the Chief Minister’s presence.
The Chenab Times News Desk