Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday hit out at the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab, blaming it for a complete breakdown of the law-and-order situation in the State.
Mr. Gandhi met the family of slain Punjabi singer Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, known as Sidhu Moosewala, at their Moosa village residence in Mansa district to express condolences. He said the AAP government in Punjab was not capable of maintaining peace and calm in the State. The Congress, he added, would ensure that justice was delivered to Moosewala’s family.
On May 29, Moosewala, was shot dead by unidentified assailants at Jahawarke village, a day after his security cover was trimmed. He contested the 2022 Assembly election as the Congress candidate from the Mansa constituency.
After meeting the family members, Mr. Gandhi said on Twitter, “It is difficult to describe the grief that the parents of Congress leader Sidhu Moosewala ji are going through. It is our duty to give them justice, and we will do so. The law and order of the State has completely broken down. Maintaining peace and tranquility in Punjab is not within the capability of the AAP government,” he said.
The broad-daylight killing of Moosewala highlighted the problem of gangster-related crimes in Punjab, which have become increasingly bloody and frequent over time, putting the AAP government on the back foot surrounding the deteriorating law-and-order situation in the State.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi being greeted on his arrival at Mohali airport, on June 7. | Photo Credit: PTI
Eight arrested
Meanwhile, Punjab police said they had arrested eight persons for providing logistic support, conducting recce and harbouring the shooters of Moosewala.
Those arrested have been identified as Sandeep Singh alias Kekda of Sirsa, Haryana; Manpreet Singh alias Manna of Talwandi Sabo, Bathinda; Manpreet Bhau of Dhaipai, Faridkot; Saraj Mintu of village Dode Kalsia, Amritsar; Prabhdeep Sidhu alias Pabbi of Takhat-Mall, Haryana; Monu Dagar of village Rewli in Sonipat, Haryana; Pawan Bishnoi and Naseeb, both residents of Fatehabad, Haryana. The police have also identified four shooters involved in the crime.
Additional Director General of Police (Anti-Gangster Task Force) Parmod Ban said that Sandeep alias Kekda, on the directions of Goldy Brar and Sachin Thapan, had kept a tab on the singer’s movements by impersonating himself as his fan. Kekda also clicked selfies with the singer, when the latter was leaving his home minutes before his murder, he added.
“Kekda has shared all the inputs like the singer was not accompanied by his security personnel, number of occupants, vehicle details and he is travelling in non-bullet-proof vehicle, with the shooters and handlers operating from abroad,” Mr. Ban said.
He said that Manpreet Manna had provided a car to Manpreet Bahu, who further delivered the car to two persons— suspected to be the shooters, on the directions of Saraj Mintu, who is a close aide of Goldy Brar and Sachin Thapan.
The ADGP said that the fifth accused Prabhdeep Sidhu alias Pabbi had provided shelter to two associates of Goldy Brar, who came from Haryana in January, 2022, and also got conducted a recce of Sidhu Moosewala’s home and surrounding areas through them, while Monu Dagar had provided two shooters and helped assemble the team of shooters to carry out this murder the directions of Goldy Brar. He said that Pawan Bishnoi and Naseeb had handed over a vehicle to shooters and also provided them hideout.
