A late-night firing outside the home of senior Aam Aadmi Party leader Daljit Raju in Phagwara’s Darvesh Pind village triggered panic in the area, after two unidentified assailants sprayed the house with bullets.
The entire incident, which took place around 1:13 am on Thursday, was captured on CCTV cameras installed outside the residence.
According to the police, the attackers arrived on a motorcycle, parked it at a distance from the house and then walked up to the property before opening indiscriminate fire.
SP Phagwara Madhavi Sharma said the assailants fired approximately 23 rounds, though the number may rise as teams are re-checking the site for additional evidence. Several empty cartridges were recovered from the spot and seized by the forensic team for analysis.
Residents said the sudden sound of multiple gunshots jolted them awake, forcing many to step out of their homes in fear. The rapid and intense firing created panic across the village, with locals calling the police soon after the attack.
A police team reached the spot immediately, cordoned off the area and began inspecting CCTV footage from nearby houses to identify the shooters.
SP Sharma said that so far, no ransom calls or threatening phone messages have been received by the AAP leader. However, a handwritten letter demanding Rs 5 crore was found at Raju’s residence, prompting investigators to explore the involvement of a criminal gang.
She added that the police are examining every angle, including whether the shooters had been tracking the leader or if the attack was part of a larger extortion attempt. “We are conducting a thorough investigation. Once we get concrete clues, the information will be shared with the media,” Sharma said.
Off-camera, Daljit Raju termed the incident an attack on the democratic system and demanded the immediate arrest of those behind the firing.
He also expressed concern for the safety of his family and the villagers who were terrified by the attack.
Police officials said they have previously arrested several suspects in murder and extortion cases in the region, and teams are now checking whether any known gang members could be linked to the latest incident.
Meanwhile, the attack has left residents of Darvesh Pind anxious, with many calling for stronger police patrolling in the area.
The investigation is ongoing, and the police say more details will emerge as they analyse forensic reports and surveillance footage.
