E-Paper
Waris Punjab De leader injured in petrol bomb attack ahead of Tarn Taran bypoll
According to the police, Qadian was returning home to Gurdaspur after his campaign activities in Tarn Taran when the assailants hurled petrol bombs at his car, leaving it completely gutted
Sukhdev Singh Qadian, a key leader of Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh’s party, Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De), and the election observer for independent Tarn Taran bypoll candidate Mandeep Singh, sustained critical burn injuries after his vehicle was attacked with petrol bombs by unidentified persons at Verka Chowk, Amritsar, on Friday night.
According to the police, Qadian was returning home to Gurdaspur after his campaign activities in Tarn Taran when the assailants hurled petrol bombs at his car, leaving it completely gutted. He was initially taken to a local hospital in Amritsar but later shifted to Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH), Ludhiana, due to the absence of a burn unit in Amritsar. His condition continues to be critical.
Later, a party delegation met Amritsar police commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar and demanded immediate arrest of the culprits and strict punishment for them. The commissioner has ordered the formation of a special investigation team (SIT) to look into the matter.
SAD breakaway faction president Giani Harpreet Singh condemned the attack and said, “The government, frustrated by its imminent defeat in Tarn Taran, has now resorted to intimidation. A petrol bomb attack has been carried out on the vehicle of the observer of panthic candidate Mandeep Singh on the Amritsar highway. This is not merely an attack on one individual — it is an attack on democracy, justice, and the electoral process itself.”
He added, “We urge the Election Commission of India to immediately stop the ongoing hooliganism in the Tarn Taran by-election, ensure a thorough investigation into this incident, bring the culprits to justice, and guarantee a free and fair electoral process.”
