'Some politicians may have prior inputs on gangster strikes': Punjab CM Mann

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday launched a sharp attack on opposition political parties, blaming them for fostering gangsterism in the state and suggesting that some leaders might have prior knowledge of certain criminal incidents.

Speaking to the media, Mann claimed that the gangster culture had thrived under previous regimes due to political patronage, allowing criminals to operate with impunity.

He specifically referred to the Nabha jailbreak case, pointing out that Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal’s statement on the incident came within half an hour it becoming public.

“If the incident had been delayed, perhaps the statement would have come even before the actual break,” Mann remarked sarcastically, implying possible prior awareness or coordination.

As of Saturday afternoon Sukhbir Singh Badal has not issued any reaction or rebuttal to the CM’s allegations.

Mann asserted that his government was committed to eradicating gangsterism through operations like ‘Gangsteraan Te Vaar’ and that there was zero tolerance towards organised crime, unlike past administrations that allegedly protected and promoted such elements for political gains.

Mann’s comments come amid ongoing political slugfest over law and order in Punjab, with opposition parties frequently accusing the AAP government of failing to curb rising gangster activities and extortion cases.

The CM reiterated that Punjab Police acted swiftly on every lead without political interference, contrasting it with what he described as the opposition’s history of shielding criminals.