Ludhiana: Car-borne men open fire on toll barrier employees
One of assailants, claiming to be chairman of some government board, wanted to use VIP lane, say complainants; police say efforts are being made to identify them
Car-borne miscreants opened fire targeting employees of the Ladhowal toll barrier on the national highway on Saturday night, marking the second firing incident in the city in one day. The accused wanted to use the VIP lane. When the toll barrier employees stopped them, the accused opened fire before fleeing.
At around 10.30 pm, an XUV carrying seven to eight men arrived in the VIP lane and allegedly tried to force their way through without paying toll tax. According to toll employee Kuljit Singh, one of the accused, while demanding passage, claimed that he was chairman of some government board. When the staff asked for identification, the group reportedly flew into rage.
The men allegedly assaulted toll employees and then opened fire directly at them, firing at least four to five shots before fleeing the scene. No worker was injured. CCTV cameras captured the men running back to their vehicle, one of them brandishing a pistol, before speeding off towards South City.
The toll staff immediately informed the police, who reached the spot and seized CCTV footage. Inspector Gurshinder Kaur, station house officer (SHO) at the Ladhowal police station, confirmed that the accused were being identified. An attempt to murder case has been registered against the unidentified accused.
The vehicle was bearing the number plate of Jalandhar.
Firing on e-rickshaw, none hurt
Ludhiana: Unidentified assailants in a Maruti Suzuki Swift car opened fire at an e-rickshaw on Hambaran Road, narrowly missing the driver and two passengers—a woman and her child. The Ladhowal police have registered a case under the Arms Act and other relevant sections. The motive behind the attack is yet to be ascertained, police said.
According to the FIR filed by e-rickshaw driver Bikramjit Singh, a resident of Kapoor Singh Wala, he was ferrying a woman and her child from Ladhowal to Chahran village when the attack took place. A Swift car without a number plate came from the opposite direction. There were three men inside.
He added that one of the occupants allegedly rolled down the window and fired directly at the e-rickshaw. The bullet struck the front windshield and pierced through, but missed all three occupants. Singh said the attackers, while fleeing, also gestured threats to kill him.
ASI Major Singh, who is investigating the case, stated that an FIR under Sections 351(2) 3 (5) BNS, 25, 27, 54 and 59 of Arms Act has been registered against unidentified persons, and efforts are underway to trace the vehicle and identify the accused.
Notably, a week ago, two groups indulged in a gangwar in Bath Castle marriage palace at Pakhowal Road. During the gangwar, a man (Vasu Chopra) and a woman (Neeru Chhabra) had lost their lives after being hit by bullets. Several VIPs and senior police officials were present at the function. Only one of the key accused has been arrested so far.
