Extortion threat: Attari trader, residents protest against govt

Days after extortion call by alleged gangsters to an Attari trader and AAP leader, the victim along with the residents of the Attari border town held a demonstration against the police for its failure to nab the suspects.

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Jaswinder Singh, the victim, alleged that he was continuously getting threats from foreign-based numbers. The caller, identifying himself as Chopra, demanded Rs 50 lakh as extortion money. He along with his supporters had blocked the Amritsar-Attari road last night after he got the call again.

Though the police have provided security to his family, he alleged that he was getting repeated threat calls from gangsters.

“My house has become like a jail as my child cannot go to school. My wife, principal of a private school, is also at home since she was getting threats,” he said. Jaswinder Singh alleged that several persons in Attari had received the extortion calls. “We want our voice to be heard by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. The residents are feeling insecure as the number of extortion calls has increased in various parts of state,” Jaswinder Singh said.

He alleged that two years ago some gangsters had tried to kidnap his son and later decamped with a rifle, cash and jewellery from the house. The police later arrested the suspects and recovered the looted goods.

Karampal Singh, SHO, Gharinda police station, said a case has been registered and security provided to the family. He said that the cyber cell has been probing the numbers to find clues about the callers.