Capt govt sheltering gangsters: Sukhbir

FARIDKOT: Former Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on Friday accused the state government of sheltering gangsters in the state.

Badal called on the family of a rice mill owner who was shot dead in broad daylight in Jaitu town in the district last week.

Police are still clueless about the whereabouts of the assailants. The police have identified and booked Harsimrandeep Singh Simma, who had allegedly fired five bullets at the victim, through CCTV footage. But they have so far failed to identify the second accused.

He blamed the ruling Congress for encouraging and sheltering gangsters. Referring to the CCTV video showing a cop passing by on a motorcycle when Simma was firing at victim Ravinder Kochhar, Sukhbir said it is condemnable that the cop did not stop.

“In another incident, police released two criminals who had allegedly attempted a robbery at a city petrol pump three days ago. They were released even when the petrol pump staff had handed over the accused to the police. That was done after the intervention of Congress leaders. This is not acceptable as the innocent can’t be endangered,” he said. ‘DRIVE AGAINST DRUGS A BLUFF BY CONGRESS’ Regarding the recent statement of Congress MLA Surjit Dhiman that ‘chitta’ (white powder) is easily available in Punjab, Sukhbir said, “Now Akalis don’t need to refute the claims of the Congress. The ruling party has betrayed the people of Punjab as its campaign against drugs is totally a bluff and has flopped. Their own MLA has exposed the reality.”

He slammed CM Amarinder Singh for protecting irrigation and power minister Rana Gurjit Singh in the mining row.

Local MLA Kushaldeep Singh Dhillon said, “Sukhbir has no moral right to comment on the law and order situation in the city. “All gangsters were groomed and sheltered by the Akalis.