Gurdaspur: Narrow escape for BJP leader as duo opens fire at his petrol pump

Vijay Soni, who serves as the convener of the BJP’s district trade cell in Gurdaspur, said two men arrived on a motorcycle at 9.30 pm on Wednesday and suddenly opened fire

BJP leader Vijay Soni on Thursday said he had a narrow escape after masked, motorcycle-borne gunmen opened fire at his petrol pump at Dera Baba Nanak.

The attack was captured on the petrol pump’s CCTV cameras. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Soni, who serves as the convener of the BJP’s district trade cell in Gurdaspur, said two men arrived on a motorcycle at 9.30 pm on Wednesday and suddenly opened fire.

While two to three bullets struck his nearby car, another hit a wall. Soni, who also runs a spare parts shop and carries a firearm due to handling large amounts of business cash, quickly grabbed his licensed gun from a nearby bag and fired a retaliatory shot, prompting the assailants to flee the scene.

The attack, which was captured on the petrol pump’s CCTV cameras, came days after he received an audio message from a foreign phone number demanding a ₹2 crore ransom, with a 10-day ultimatum to pay, Soni alleged in his police complaint.

Confirming the incident, police said an FIR was registered against unknown persons under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Arms Act at the Kotli Surat Malian police station.

Union minister of state Ravneet Singh Bittu also spoke with Soni, while local police confirmed that an active investigation was underway.