E-Paper
Punjab Police identify main accused behind Abohar trader’s killing
Political leaders, including state unit chiefs of BJP and Congress, attend businessman Sanjay Verma’s cremation, target AAP govt for deteriorating law and order.
A day after Abohar textile businessman Sanjay Verma, 54, was shot dead outside his showroom by three motorcycle-borne assailants, police on Tuesday said they have identified one of the accused as a local commission agent’s helper through CCTV footage and were closing in on the trio.
Deputy inspector general (DIG), Ferozepur range, Harmanbir Singh Gill said, “We have strong leads and are closing in on the culprits, including a 24-year-old helper of a local commission agent.” The helper, identified as Shakti of Azamgarh village in Abohar, has been missing from work since Saturday.
Fazilka senior superintendent of police (SSP) Gurmeet Singh said that CCTV footage helped them identify Shakti, who was driving the motorcycle with the other two accused riding pillion. The trio abandoned the motorcycle in a lane near the government hospital in Abohar after firing eight-10 rounds at Verma as he stepped out of his Hyundai i20 outside his New Wear Well showroom.
A case of murder has been registered against Shakti and the two unidentified accused. They have been booked under the Arms Act, too.
Verma had reportedly received an extortion call days earlier.
Punjab Police special DGP (law and order) Arpit Shukla inspected the crime spot in Abohar and is expected to brief the media later in the day.
Meanwhile, leaders cutting across party lines attended Verma’s cremation on Tuesday. Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar, state Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, Abohar MLA Sandeep Jakhar, Aam Aadmi Party leader Arun Narang, and Shiromani Akali Dal leader Vardev Singh Noni Mann were present.
Grief turned into anger as Sanjay Verma’s brother Jagat Verma questioned the government’s inaction on gangsters. “Why is the government sheltering criminals despite us paying taxes honestly? Why are businessmen not safe in their own land?” he said, demanding justice for his brother.
Later, Sunil Jakhar said: “The incident has shocked not just the people of Abohar but citizens across Punjab. The AAP government has failed in its duty to protect honest citizens.”
The Punjab BJP held a symbolic protest against the deteriorating law and order situation in the border state.
Raja Warring blamed both the Aam Aadmi Party and the BJP, accusing them of complete failure in tackling gangsterism in Punjab. “The state is witnessing a dangerous surge in gang wars. Chief minister Bhagwant Mann must resign on moral grounds,” he said. He criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, too, saying, “He meets global leaders abroad, but why does he not raise the issue of bringing back gangsters hiding in countries like the US and Canada?”
The incident has triggered outrage among the business community of the town, who are now demanding tighter security and swift justice.
