Amritsar: The Batala Road locality of Amritsar was gripped by fear on Saturday morning following the discovery of an auto-rickshaw driver’s body in a vacant plot. The deceased has been identified as Kamal Kishore Saini, a resident of Abhimanyu Colony. According to his brother, Vijay Kumar Saini, Kamal had failed to return home on Friday night and had stopped responding to repeated phone calls from his concerned family members. The grim discovery was made after a passerby informed the family that Kamal’s auto-rickshaw was parked abandoned in the Vijay Nagar area.
Upon reaching the spot, family members found Kamal’s blood-stained body lying in the rear section of the vehicle. Preliminary observations revealed deep impact wounds on his head, and blood-soaked bricks were recovered from the immediate vicinity of the crime scene. The family alleges that unidentified assailants likely used these bricks to bludgeon Kamal to death. The victim is survived by his wife and children, who are now demanding swift justice and the immediate arrest of those responsible for the brutal killing.
Local residents have expressed significant outrage over the incident, noting that this particular vacant plot has become a hotspot for criminal activity. Community members claimed that at least four bodies have been recovered from this same location over the past year. The area is reportedly frequented by drug addicts, and there has been a noticeable surge in petty crimes and mobile snatchings targeting local labourers. Residents have criticized the police administration for failing to maintain a visible deterrent, stating that a lack of patrolling has emboldened criminals in the neighbourhood.
Amritsar police have taken custody of the body and sent it for a post-mortem examination to confirm the exact cause of death. Investigating officers are currently scanning CCTV footage from nearby establishments to track the movement of the auto-rickshaw and identify potential suspects. While a formal case has been registered, the police have assured the public that a thorough investigation is underway and that those behind the murder will be apprehended soon. The incident highlights growing concerns regarding public safety in isolated urban pockets and the need for stricter surveillance in the city’s outskirts.
