City witnessed surge in unsettling crimes, high-stake encounters
The year 2024 has been one of the most challenging for Jalandhar, marked by an unsettling surge in violent crimes which put law enforcement under relentless pressure. Despite police crackdowns on notorious gangs and arrests of criminals with connections to infamous figures like Lawrence Bishnoi, Kaushal Bambiha, Jaggu Bhagwanpuria and Canada-based Lakhbir Singh Landa, the city witnessed a troubling spike in snatchings, robberies and thefts, leaving residents increasingly insecure.
The year began on a tragic note with the murder of DSP Dalbir Singh Deol on January 1. While the police swiftly arrested an auto-rickshaw driver, doubts about the official narrative persist, with some retired officers expressing scepticism over conclusion of the investigation in this connection. This case set the tone for what would become a relentless battle against crime in the city.
In March, an audacious theft at a house in Guru Gobind Singh Avenue made headlines when a burglar not only escaped in front of the police, but returned hours later to retrieve forgotten belongings. Such boldness reflected a worrying trend of lawlessness.
The city also witnessed a rise in violent attacks. Sunny, a cable firm employee, had his wrist slashed by snatchers in Maqsudan, resulting in the amputation of his hand.
Similarly, an auto-rickshaw driver Dinesh Kumar suffered severe hand injuries in a robbery near Ram Nagar Railway Crossing. In another horrifying incident, Laxmi, a Class XII student, was dragged along a road for 350 metres by snatchers, leaving her severely injured and traumatised.
The city was further shaken by a series of murders, each more gruesome than the last. Cases ranged from the killing of Ankit Jumba in the Basti area to the discovery of a body hidden in a bed box in Gadaipur. A Sikh youth was murdered in Deol Nagar and a young man named Rishabh, alias Badshah, was killed in a shooting near Khingra Gate.
One of the most chilling cases involved Sonia, a resident of Kukar village, who was arrested for the cold-blooded murder of her husband, whom she allegedly poisoned over two years.
Gun violence continued unabated, with multiple shooting incidents shaking public confidence in the law enforcement agencies. Rival groups clashed in Mota Singh Nagar, leaving two individuals critically injured.
In another case, bullets were fired at the residence of advocate Gurmohar Singh and near Maqsudan Sabzi Mandi.
Brazen thefts also became alarmingly common. A thief in Basti Nau scaled a tree to reach the rooftop of a house, attacked a woman inside, and snatched her gold earrings before escaping the same way. Another robbery occurred in broad daylight at Imperial Medical Hall, where thieves made off with Rs 40,000. Even hired security guards were assaulted during attempted thefts, further underlining the city’s deteriorating safety.
The business community voiced fears about carrying cash after Arhtiya Shantu was robbed at gunpoint on the Patel Nagar-Nagra road. Despite police arrests in the case, anxiety lingers among traders. Meanwhile, a house help Karan was robbed of Rs 300, demonstrating that no crime was too small to escape the city’s wave of lawlessness.
Social activist Sanjay Sehgal’s frustrations echoed across the city when his daughter’s scooter was stolen and despite CCTV evidence being provided to the police no action was taken in this connection. His letter to Punjab ADGP Arpit Shukla highlighted the law-and-order concerns plaguing the city. The police faced further embarrassment in the hawala racket case involving Puneet Gandhi, whose family accused the authorities of foul play after he secured bail. However, the police made strides in countering organised crime and drug smuggling. Encounters this year led to the arrest of gangsters associated with the Kaushal-Bambiha and Lakhbir Singh Landa gangs.
As the year draws to a close, the police offered a glimmer of hope through their “Arpan Samaroh” initiative. The programme returned seized items worth Rs 13 crore, including vehicles, cellphones, and jewellery, to their rightful owners, linked to 583 registered cases.
