Over five months after the globally-renowned Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala was brutally killed in broad daylight, Shiv Sena leader Sudhir Suri was shot by a local shopkeeper at one of the busiest places in Amritsar on Friday afternoon.

At the time of the attack, Suri, along with other outfit leaders, was staging a protest outside a temple. The incident, which took place in broad daylight, was caught on camera when over a dozen cops were present at the spot.

The police immediately arrested the attacker, identified as Sandeep Singh who runs a shop near the dharna spot where Suri was protesting by blocking the road. The police also seized the pistol.

As the tension gripped the city with the Shiv Sena faction giving a call for bandh (shutdown), the state Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav has appealed to the people to maintain peace while staying cautious from rumour-mongers.

DGP Yadav maintained that the police will thoroughly look into every single aspect that would come up during the investigation of that matter, while adding that it was too early to say anything about the motive of the attack. “We are not ruling out anything as of now…we will probe all aspects,” said the DGP, while addressing the media in the evening at Chandigarh, adding that he will be leaving for Amritsar in a short while to take stock of the situation there.

Suri, leader of a local outfit that uses the name Shiv Sena Taksali, was holding a protest outside a temple against its management when at least five shots were fired from a pistol. In Punjab, a number of right-wing Hindu outfits use the name ‘Shiv Sena’, but don't formally have anything to do with the Maharashtra-based party founded by Bal Thackeray.

Notably, Suri had the police protection of 12 men, and there were local cops deployed at the spot, yet the attacker — Sandeep Singh, who has been arrested — was successful in landing at least two shots that killed him before he could be brought to a hospital. "The weapon has been seized and further investigation is on,” said Amritsar city police chief commissioner Arun Pal Singh.

As per the information available, the attacker arrived at the venue with three others in an SUV and managed to escape after the attack.

The Amritsar Police said that more than five shots were fired at Suri after which he fell down and lost consciousness. He was taken to a hospital where he succumbed to bullet injuries.

Earlier in the day, Suri had got into an argument with some men from the management of Gopal Mandir near Majitha Road — one of the busiest places in the city — over the alleged sacrilege of idols. He was doing a Facebook Live barely an hour before the attack, showing some older idols “shamelessly dumped in the garbage”.

“We will not tolerate such sacrilege, even if by fellow Hindus,” he said in the video.

Suri was known for his fiery and allegedly “communal” speeches, especially on social media, targeting some Sikh outfits and Khalistan supporters in particular. He was facing at least five cases against him for hurting religious sentiments and making casteist remarks. He has also been arrested on several occasions and served a jail term.

It is believed that Suri was on the “hit list” of several gangsters for a long time and was provided security by the government.

Suri's murder brought back memories of the series of killings of right-wing or religious leaders in 2016 and 2017, when the Akali Dal-BJP and the Congress were ruling the state.

In October 2017, during Congress’ rule, Ludhiana-based RSS leader Ravinder Gosain was shot in the eighth such incident in the State in about a year's time. In June 2017, Christian pastor Sultan Masih was also shot dead, while others killed in that series of attacks were Dera Sacha Sauda followers in Ludhiana, a leader of an organization called ‘Hindu Takhat', also in Ludhiana, and RSS leader Brigadier Jagdish Gagneja (retd) in Jalandhar.

Opposition Attacks AAP Govt Over Law and Order

Opposition parties in Punjab have come down heavily on the ruling Aam Aadmi Party over the law and order situation in the state following the broad daylight shootout of a Hindu leader.  Punjab BJP president Ashwani Sharma was among the first leaders to react. “The law and order situation has completely broken down in the state,” he said.

Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring also tweeted, “Law and order is deteriorating and going from bad to worse. Congress condemns murderous attack on Shiv Sena leader in Amritsar. Political differences apart, violence is unacceptable. Culprits must be brought to book.”  Strongly condemning the broad daylight assassination, Warring also appealed for peace and harmony while urging the people to defeat the nefarious designs of the enemies of Punjab.

“There is complete collapse of law and order in the state and culprits are choosing and killing their targets with so much ease and convenience…The killing reflects the government’s failure in handling the law and order situation in a State like Punjab. This had to happen as the entire Government is busy with Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh elections,” said Warring while cautioning the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann against taking things lightly.

Warring said that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal can afford to leave his state Delhi and campaign in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, but Punjab Chief Minister cannot as Punjab is not so easy to govern and administer as has been proven time and again. Punjab needs full time governance, he remarked. He further pointed out that Suri, irrespective of his political opinions, was a high risk target and the Government should have been more alert and careful about his security. He said that his killing has sent a shock wave across Punjab and caused a sense of fear among people.

Warning that Punjab cannot afford to allow the situation to drift into the dark era once again, Warring said: “We have saved Punjab after so many sacrifices of people and it is our duty to preserve that hard earned peace.”

Strongly condemning the “brutal murder” Punjab’s former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh tweeted, “I appeal everyone to maintain peace & harmony & fight enemies of Punjab together…While it reflects poorly on law and order situation in Punjab, I hope culprits are given exemplary punishment.”

Leader of opposition in Punjab Vidhan Sabha Partap Singh Bajwa insisted that “peace in Punjab should be maintained under all circumstances”. In a series of tweets, Bajwa said: “Punjab has already paid a heavy price during the troubled period from 1980-90s. We shouldn’t allow anyone to play with our hard-earned peace. It’s my appeal to all Punjabis that we should unite and defeat mischievous elements which want to destroy the social fabric of our state.”

He added, “While Punjab CM Bhagwant is busy campaigning in other states for AAP. The lawlessness in Punjab is at its peak. Day light murder of Shiv Sena leader in Amritsar shows no one is safe in Punjab at the moment. Gangsters and criminals are having a free run in the state.”

CONDUCTING AN IN-DEPTH INVESTIGATION INTO THE MATTER: DGP

Punjab Police has rounded up an Amritsar-based shopkeeper, identified as Sandeep Singh Sunny of Kot Baba Deep Singh in Amritsar, for firing shots at Sudhir Suri, who was shot dead in Amritsar on Friday.

Sharing the information, the state Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav termed the incident as unfortunate. “A weapon of offence .32 bore pistol has also been recovered from the possession of the accused person, who runs a garment shop near Gopal Mandir, Amritsar,” he said.

According to the information, the deceased was sitting on a protest outside Gopal Mandir in Gopal Nagar, Amritsar at around 3.40 pm, when he was shot at by an unknown person. He was immediately taken to the Escort Hospital Amritsar, where he succumbed to the bullet injuries.

DGP Yadav, addressing an emergent press conference at Punjab Police Headquarters in Chandigarh, said that a First Information Report (FIR) in this connection has been registered under section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and other relevant sections at  Police Station Sadar Amritsar.

He informed that further investigation is being conducted and Punjab police will get to the bottom of the case. “An in-depth investigation is being conducted and any conspiracy in this matter would be unearthed,” he reiterated, adding that Punjab Police is committed to maintaining peace and harmony in the State.

The DGP, while terming that Punjab has an exemplary record of communal harmony, appealed to media persons to refrain from posting unverified matters or news on their platforms or social media and also warned rumour mongers of strict legal action.

He said that the situation in Amritsar is fully under control and will keep updating about the developments in this case.