Extortion threat linked to attack on jeweller in Jagraon

An investigation into the targeted shooting at Kanda Jewellers in Jagraon on Monday found that an extortion call from an international number was the reason behind the firing. The caller allegedly demanded a huge sum from the victim, who failed to fulfil the demand. This eventually led to the firing, said officials.

Earlier too, businessmen in Jagraon and Ludhiana have reported of having received such extortion calls from gangsters, failing to pay which has led to firing incidents in the region.

Talking to The Tribune here on Wednesday, Senior Superintendent of Police (Ludhiana rural) Dr Ankur Gupta said that the jewellery shop owner had received an extortion call from someone posing as a gangster in a foreign country. It could be possible that the alleged person sent his men to target the shop owner, he said, adding that the investigation was underway and nothing could be said firmly.

“Although the caller made the call from abroad, it is yet to be ascertained whether someone arranged it from within the country or whether the caller’s hatched the conspiracy to extort money all by themselves from abroad. Ludhiana rural police have got some vital leads in the case. Once the police arrest the bike-borne persons who opened fire at the shop, the entire conspiracy will be exposed and the name of the gangster, if any, can be confirmed,” added SSP Gupta.

It is pertinent to mention here that on March 5, in the busy Rani Jhansi Chowk area in Jagraon, two unidentified bike-borne assailants had opened fire at a jewellery showroom, Lakhe Wale Jewellers. The case was solved with the arrest of the suspects following an encounter.

In recent months, Ludhiana has witnessed a disturbing rise in extortion attempts targeting local businessmen. On July 23, businessman Ekjot Singh Chawla received extortion calls from a person claiming to be a close aide of wanted gangster Goldy Brar, prompting a police case. Just a week earlier, on July 15, gangster Goru Bacha, currently lodged in Bathinda jail, used a public line to demand Rs 50 lakh from a city businessman. On July 7, another businessman, Jatinder, received a WhatsApp call from a US-based number, in which the caller warned the victim he would be killed if he didn’t pay Rs 50 lakh. The Ludhiana rural police later booked gangster Pavitar Singh Batala, believed to be residing in the US, in this case.

Earlier, on June 5, Gurpreet Bedi, the son of AAP councillor Veeran Bedi, was threatened with the murder of his family if he failed to pay Rs 1 crore in ransom. Similarly, on May 10, Khanna police registered a case against three individuals, including two brothers, for demanding one kilogram of gold from a local jeweller. The trend continued earlier in the year as well: on February 7, a city-based businessman was threatened with death over a Rs 30 lakh extortion demand made via an international number. In January, another businessman received a WhatsApp call from an unknown number, with the caller identifying himself as a gangster and issuing similar death threats unless payment was made. These incidents reflect a troubling pattern of intimidation and extortion carried out through both domestic and international communication channels, often linked to known criminal figures.