Punjab law and order deteriorating under AAP govt, say BJP, Congress after cop’s killing

New Delhi: With a Punjab Police Assistant Sub-Inspector being shot dead while on duty in Amritsar, leaders of the BJP and Congress on Friday alleged that the law and order situation in the state has deteriorated since the AAP government came to power.

Speaking to IANS, BJP leader Manoranjan Kalia said: "The law and order situation has been deteriorating since the Aam Aadmi Party government came to power. Extortion, demands for money and kidnappings have become common."

BJP leader H.S. Phoolka also criticised the state government, saying, “The law and order situation in Punjab is extremely bad. It is so bad that gangsters and drug traffickers are ruling the state. This is the situation in Punjab. It is in a very bad state. There are extortion calls from everywhere.”

BJP Punjab Vice President Ravi Karan Singh Kahlon said: "The law and order situation in Punjab is currently at its worst. People are being shot in broad daylight, and even police personnel are not being spared. Today, our police personnel, ASI Harjit Singh, who was posted at Gate Hakima in Amritsar, was shot dead."

He condemned the incident and appealed to the Punjab Police to intensify efforts against anti-social elements.

Congress Punjab Vice President Rajkumar Verka said the government had failed to maintain law and order.

"I think this government’s law and order has completely collapsed. The way killings and violence are taking place, today an ASI posted on duty in Amritsar was shot dead. This is not a new thing. Thousands of murders are taking place, thousands of ransom demands are being made, and thousands of incidents are happening," Verka said.

According to officials, ASI Harjit Singh, a resident of Tarn Taran district, was on PCR duty when two unidentified motorcycle-borne men chased him and shot him at point-blank range around midnight in the Bhagtanwala grain market in Amritsar.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann condoled Singh’s death and announced compensation of Rs 1 crore for his family.

The killing comes days after a similar incident on September 11, when another ASI, Jaswant Singh, was attacked by two motorcycle-borne men while returning from duty in Amritsar. The assailants opened fire, with a bullet grazing his head and causing a minor injury. He is currently recovering.

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