Suresh Sharma, former chief of AAP’s Amritsar unit shot at; police suspect personal enmity

Suresh Sharma, the former chief of AAP’s Amritsar unit and now a member of the political affairs committee of the AAP’s Khaira faction, was attacked at his furniture shop at Partap Bazaar in Chheharta area of Amritsar. He was injured in his right leg.

In an attack that the police suspect is a result of personal enmity, former chief of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)’s Amritsar City unit, Suresh Sharma, was injured after an unidentified assailant fired four shots at him, on Tuesday about 7pm.

Former chief of AAP’s Amritsar unit Suresh Sharma being shifted to a hospital after he was shot at by an unidentified assailant on Tuesday evening. (Sameer Sehgal/HT Photo)

Sharma, a member of the political affairs committee of the AAP’s Sukhpal Singh Khaira faction, was attacked at his furniture shop at Partap Bazaar in Chheharta area of Amritsar. He was injured in his right leg.

“A man in his 20s, with his face covered, entered the shop and shouted for my father. He fired four shots, of which three hit my father on the leg. No one from the market tried to nab him as he fled,” said Sajan Sharma, son of Suresh, adding that he was at his home at the time of the firing.

“I reached the shop to find my father lying in a pool of blood. With the help of other shopkeepers, I rushed him to a private hospital in Chheharta from where he was shifted to another private hospital in Amritsar,” Sajan added.

“Preliminary investigation suggests that there were two assailants. One of them opened fire. The area of Chheharta has been cordoned off and an alert has been sounded in the city. We have clues,” Walia said, adding that prima facie the attack seemed to be a result of a personal grouse.

A case has been registered under sections 307 (attempt to murder) of the IPC and under sections 25-27-54-59 of the Arms Act against unidentified people.

Law and order has collapsed: Khaira

Bholath MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira, who has been suspended from the AAP, claimed that the attack was yet another instance showing that law and order had collapsed in the state. “If a prominent citizen like Suresh Sharma is attacked like this under the Congress regime, the fate of the common man can be well imagined,” he added.

Punjab leader of opposition Harpal Singh Cheema and AAP Amritsar Lok Sabha candidate Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal also condemned the attack. “Intelligence and state police have failed. There is anarchy and Jungle Raj in the state. I appeal to people to maintain peace,” Cheema added.