Ludhiana: ‘Drug addicts’ damage vehicles in Guru Arjun Dev Nagar

Two groups were clashing when a youth ran into a house nearby to seek shelter. His rivals attacked the house occupants, thinking they were protecting that youth.

Chaos ensued in Guru Arjun Dev Nagar when a group of miscreants attacked a house, pelting stones and vandalising vehicles parked in streets on Sunday. When Lovely Manocha, husband of a newly elected councillor, arrived at the scene with his associates to assess the situation, the attackers turned on them. Gunshots were also reportedly fired in the area.

A video grab of the assailants in Guru Arjun Dev Nagar in Ludhiana on Sunday. (HT photo)

The incident took place in the evening hours of Sunday when two groups clashed in the area, brandishing swords. A young man, Sahil, seeking shelter, ran into the house of Harjeet Kaur, a local resident. Mistaking the family for his protectors, the attackers started hurling stones at the house and even broke in to assault its occupants with swords.

Lovely Manocha and his team visited Harjeet Kaur’s house upon hearing about the incident. Residents informed him about a vacant plot in the area allegedly being used by drug addicts, which they claimed was the source of frequent altercations. Manocha and some locals went to inspect the plot and discovered several individuals consuming drugs there.

While some drug users were confronted, two managed to escape and returned shortly with a group of 40-50 accomplices. The group attacked Manocha, his associates and the residents’ using swords and stones. Harjeet Kaur alleged that the attackers also fired gunshots during the assault.

She added that vehicles parked in streets were damaged by the assailants. The locals informed the police, but the miscreants escaped before arrival of the police. Sub-inspector Bhupinder Singh, station house officer (SHO) at the Division number 7 police station, said they took possession of CCTV footage from the area and were conducting an investigation.

“We have asked the local residents to record their statements to lodge an FIR. Efforts are on to identify and apprehend the accused,” said the SHO.