Tensions have flared in Punjab in the run up to October 15 Panchayat elections as an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate was critically injured following a violent shootout on late Saturday evening in Jalalabad, Fazilka district. The police has booked two Akali leaders, besides many others in the shocking incident that has escalated political rivalries between AAP and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), prompting widespread condemnation and calls for immediate action.
The altercation took place at the office of Jalalabad’s Block Development and Panchayat Officer (BDPO), where AAP supporters and SAD members clashed. The confrontation, which initially began as a heated argument, quickly spiraled out of control, culminating in the tragic shooting of Mandeep Singh Brar, the AAP’s sarpanch candidate for Mohammadewala village, leaving him critically injured.
AAP leaders have accused senior SAD members, including Vardev Singh ‘Noni’ Mann and his brother Nardev Singh ‘Bobby’ Mann, along with their supporters, of orchestrating the attack following a heated confrontation over the filing of nominations for the upcoming elections.
As per information available, AAP supporters and SAD workers were gathered at the BDPO office for the scrutiny of nomination papers for the panchayat elections. Among them was AAP’s sarpanch candidate Mandeep Singh Brar, and SAD leaders Noni Mann and Bobby Mann, both sons of former Akali MP Zora Singh Mann.
Tensions erupted between the two groups after a verbal altercation escalated into a physical fight. Witnesses claimed that the situation spiraled out of control, leading to gunshots being fired. Brar was rushed to the government hospital in Jalalabad for immediate treatment before being referred to the Dayanand Medical College (DMC) in Ludhiana due to the severity of his injuries. Doctors have described his condition as critical but stable.
AAP's Allegations against SAD
AAP leaders have condemned the incident, accusing SAD of resorting to violence to intimidate their opponents during the panchayat polls. Jalalabad’s AAP MLA Jagdeep ‘Goldy’ Kamboj directly implicated SAD leader Noni Mann in the shooting, asserting that this was an attempt to sabotage the electoral process.
Goldy Kamboj said that the violence erupted when SAD leaders Noni Mann and his brother Bobby Mann, along with their supporters, arrived at the BDPO office to scrutinize the nominations. “Mandeep Brar, who was present with his supporters, got into a verbal altercation with Noni Mann over the nomination papers for his son Harpinder Singh. The argument turned physical, and soon after, shots were fired, leaving Brar severely wounded with a bullet lodged in his chest. Another AAP supporter, Rajesh Kumar, was also injured,” he added.
“This is a deliberate attack on our democratic rights. Mandeep Brar was attacked in broad daylight. Such acts of violence are unacceptable and must be condemned in the strongest terms,” Kamboj said. He further claimed that SAD members had been creating a hostile environment in the days leading up to the incident, accusing them of spreading false allegations about AAP obstructing others from filing nominations.
Police Investigation Underway
Following the shooting, Fazilka police officials have launched an investigation into the incident. Fazilka Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Varinder Singh Brar visited the scene of the crime and the hospital to gather information. The police have reportedly recovered CCTV footage from the BDPO office, which is being reviewed as part of the investigation. SSP Brar confirmed that a case has been registered against Noni Mann, Bobby Mann, and 15 to 20 others involved in the altercation.
“We are conducting a thorough investigation and will ensure that the culprits are brought to justice. This type of violence will not be tolerated, especially during the election process,” SSP Brar stated. He assured the public that those responsible for the shooting would be held accountable, regardless of their political affiliations.
Response from AAP and SAD
AAP leaders have voiced their outrage at the incident, with senior spokesperson Neel Garg calling it an attempt to undermine the party’s efforts to run a fair and peaceful campaign. “This is not just an attack on Mandeep Brar; it is an attack on democracy itself. The Akali Dal must stop using violence to intimidate its opponents. We will not be cowed down by these tactics,” Garg said.
He emphasized that AAP stands for peace, development, and fairness in the political process. “We urge the authorities to take swift action and ensure that the guilty are punished. Violence has no place in our democracy,” he added.
On the other hand, SAD leaders have refuted the allegations, claiming that the shooting was a result of a personal dispute unrelated to the elections. They have accused AAP of fabricating the incident to gain sympathy ahead of the panchayat polls.
Growing Political Tensions
The incident has intensified the political climate in Punjab as the state prepares for panchayat elections scheduled for October 15. Over 52,000 nominations have been filed for the position of sarpanch, with more than 1.66 lakh nominations for the position of panch across 13,229 gram panchayats. The election process has already seen multiple reports of clashes and disruptions, signaling rising tensions between rival political parties.
Punjab State Election Commissioner Raj Kamal Chaudhuri has condemned the violence, urging all political parties to maintain peace and uphold the sanctity of the electoral process. “The democratic process must not be derailed by such incidents. The police and election officials are working to ensure that the elections proceed smoothly and without any further violence,” he said in a statement.
