Tarn Taran: A serious incident of political violence has surfaced in the Bhikhiwind municipal segment of Punjab’s border district, Tarn Taran, ahead of the scheduled local body elections. A heavily armed mob allegedly launched a coordinated assault and vandalized the private residence of a Shiromani Akali Dal candidate contesting from Ward Number 12. Goravdeep Singh Valtoha, the son of veteran Akali leader and former Member of Legislative Assembly Virsa Singh Valtoha, was reportedly present at the venue when the targeted disruption took place.
The formal police complaint was registered following a detailed statement provided by local resident Sarabjit Singh. According to the complainant, his wife is officially contesting the high-stakes Nagar Panchayat elections under the Shiromani Akali Dal banner. The family had convened an internal organizational meeting at their residence to coordinate booth management, outline local canvassing strategies, and streamline campaign logistics. During the discussions, a hostile crowd unexpectedly gathered outside the main entrance and began shouting provocative slogans before attempting to breach the domestic perimeter.
The first information report details that the attackers were armed with sharp-edged traditional weapons, heavy wooden clubs, and iron rods. The mob forcefully damaged the main security gates of the property and systematically smashed several parked vehicles, including a motorcycle stationed directly outside the entrance. The sudden outbreak of targeted pre-election violence triggered immediate panic among neighbors, spreading widespread anxiety across the residential colony.
The Bhikhiwind police station has formally registered a comprehensive criminal case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, incorporating charges of rioting, unlawful assembly, criminal intimidation, and malicious damage to property. The police complaint explicitly names several local political activists, including Gurjant Singh Janta, Rajbir Singh Raju, Sajan Singh, Nihal Singh, Jashandeep Singh, Gurpreet Singh Gopi, Gopal Singh Gupala, Gurpreet Singh, and Balwinder Kaur, alongside approximately 70 unidentified accomplices. Senior district police officials confirmed that specialized law enforcement teams have initiated continuous raid operations across multiple suspected hideouts to identify, locate, and apprehend the fleeing suspects to prevent further security flare-ups.
