A gunshot was fired during a confrontation between an excise team and an alleged drug smuggler in Jalandhar's Bhargav Camp area, and the incident took place during an excise raid, leading to tension in the locality.
No injuries or casualties have been reported so far, as police reached the spot soon after receiving information and have started an investigation.
According to the police, the incident happened when an excise team went to conduct a raid at the house of an alleged drug smuggler in the Bhargav Camp area. During the operation, a confrontation reportedly took place while the team faced resistance and during the dispute, a firearm was discharged, creating panic among residents living nearby.
As soon as the gunshot was heard, many residents rushed out of their homes to see what had happened, while others moved to safer places and the sound of the gunfire created fear in the neighbourhood, and the area remained tense for some time.
After receiving information through the police control room, officials from Bhargav Camp Police Station reached the spot and during the initial inspection, the police recovered one spent shell from the scene. Officers then began collecting evidence and examining the area.
Police have also started checking CCTV cameras installed near the location to identify the sequence of events and determine who fired the shot, officials said the footage will play an important role in the investigation.
Sandeep Pahwa, a resident of Bhargav Camp, alleged that excise teams often harass local residents and enter houses without prior notice and claimed that the excise team had also visited the area on Tuesday evening. According to him, local residents objected to the team's presence, after which the situation turned into an argument, he alleged that during the dispute, a shot was fired. He said no one was injured in the incident, but the firing created tension among people living in the area.
ACP Aatish Bhatia confirmed that the police control room received information about gunfire in the Bhargav Camp area and said a police team immediately reached the spot and recovered a spent shell during the inspection.
The ACP said preliminary investigation suggests that the excise team had gone to raid the residence of an alleged drug smuggler and during the raid, resistance led to a confrontation, and a firearm was discharged, however, he said it is not yet clear who fired the shot.
He added that police are carefully examining CCTV footage from the surrounding area along with other available evidence and the person responsible for firing the shot will be identified through the investigation, and legal action will be taken accordingly.
