Amritsar: Back-to-back firing incidents in Amritsar’s rural areas on Sunday evening have heightened tension among traders and residents, with police probing whether the attacks were linked to an extortion racket.
The two separate shootings were reported less than 30 minutes apart in Nath Di Khui and Rayya, sparking fear across the Majha belt and raising concerns over renewed gangster activity.
The first incident occurred outside a jewellery shop near Nath Di Khui, where unidentified assailants allegedly fired shots before fleeing the scene.
The shop is said to be associated with businessman Angrej Singh of Chananke village. No injuries were reported, but the sudden gunfire caused panic among shopkeepers and passersby in the area.
Shortly afterwards, another attack was reported outside a tile showroom in Rayya under the Beas police station limits.
According to preliminary information, two men on a motorcycle opened several rounds of fire before escaping.
The showroom belongs to Harpreet Singh, also known as Happy, who had contested municipal elections as a Shiromani Akali Dal candidate and is the son of former Rayya Municipal Committee president Gurvinder Pal Singh.
Though officials have not yet officially confirmed an extortion angle, local sources claimed the businessman had allegedly received threats in recent weeks.
The incidents have once again brought focus to concerns surrounding targeted intimidation of businessmen in Punjab.
Local traders said fear is spreading in commercial circles, with many expressing concern over repeated reports of firing incidents linked to extortion demands.
The matter also triggered political criticism, with opposition leaders questioning the state’s law-and-order situation and alleging that criminal groups were becoming increasingly bold.
Senior Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia accused the government of failing to curb gangster-linked violence and said business communities were being forced to operate under constant pressure.
Police personnel reached both locations soon after the incidents and began collecting evidence.
Investigators are scanning CCTV footage from surrounding areas and questioning witnesses to identify the attackers and establish whether both shootings were coordinated.
Security agencies are also looking into possible links with organised criminal networks operating from outside the state.
No arrests had been confirmed till late Sunday as the investigation remained underway.
