Firing at Talwar’s car: Ludhiana cops yet to get leads
Ludhiana’s Sarabha Nagar police have registered an FIR against unknown suspects under Sections 125 and 324(4) of the BNS and Sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act following a complaint lodged by Talwar
A day after a bullet struck the car of district Congress president and former MLA Sanjay Talwar outside his residence in Janpath Estate on South City Road, the police are still struggling to find any substantial lead. The incident, which has left the local community concerned, adds to a string of unsolved cases involving stray bullets in Ludhiana. This is the seventh such case in the past six years.
The Ludhiana police have a poor track record when it comes to solving such cases. One high-profile case, involving a stray bullet injuring a security officer of former deputy chief minister Sukhbir Badal, has remained unsolved for nearly a decade. Numerous other incidents have also gone cold, including one wherein a two-year-old infant lost his life to a stray bullet, with the police failing to trace the shooter.
ACP (West) Gurdev Singh said investigations into Talwar’s case are ongoing and various police teams have thoroughly scanned the area, including reviewing CCTV footage, but no solid clues have been uncovered. The ACP suspects the bullet that hit the driver’s seat of Talwar’s Toyota Innova might have been the result of celebratory firing from a nearby wedding venue.
“We are investigating all angles and will avoid drawing any conclusions prematurely,” the ACP said.
Meanwhile, the Sarabha Nagar police have registered an FIR against unknown suspects under Sections 125 and 324(4) of the BNS and Sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act following a complaint lodged by Talwar.
This case highlights the police’s ongoing struggle with similar incidents. One notable case occurred on November 27, 2015, when a constable, Gurvinder Singh, was struck by a stray bullet while on security duty for Sukhbir Badal near Punjab National Bank’s zonal office. The case is unsolved.
Unsolved cases
August 14, 2021: A stray bullet hit a man in his hand while he was sleeping on the roof of his rented accommodation in Kuldeep Nagar of Daresi. The bullet was recovered and an FIR was lodged but the case awaits solution.
January 13, 2018: A 21-year-old girl sustained a hand injury after a stray bullet hit her while flying kites on her house roof in Maharaja Ranjit Singh Nagar on the occasion of Lohri. The case is still pending.
January 15, 2018: A 35-year-old woman suffered a thigh injury due to a stray bullet in Kot Mangal Singh area of Daba. The woman, Riti Sharma, was on the roof of her house, flying a kite with her family.
August 18, 2018: A hosiery worker suffered injuries on his finger after a stray bullet brushed past his hand in Manmohan Colony at Bahadurke road.
November 9, 2018: A two-year-old girl died after a stray bullet hit her in Kidwai Nagar. Her mother was standing on the roof holding her in arms when the bullet hit the victim.
February 19, 2019: A 22-year-old man was accidentally shot at during a celebratory firing in a marriage function in Janta Nagar here.