In a shocking escalation of violence, an AAP leader was assassinated in broad daylight in Jalandhar on Friday, prompting fierce criticism from opposition heavyweight Sukhbir Singh Badal. Lucky Oberoi, a prominent figure in the Aam Aadmi Party, was gunned down by unknown assailants outside Guru Dvaira Sahib in Model Town, marking yet another blow to Punjab’s fragile security.
The attack unfolded around morning hours when gunmen approached Oberoi and opened fire relentlessly. Despite frantic efforts to save him, doctors at the hospital pronounced him dead on arrival. The locality, usually bustling with devotees, was plunged into panic as news spread.
Sukhbir Singh Badal, SAD chief, didn’t hold back in his condemnation via X. ‘AAP’s ‘Zero Fear’ regime has turned Punjab into a bloodbath,’ he posted. ‘Even their own leaders can’t feel safe. Today’s murder of Lucky Oberoi outside a gurdwara is proof.’ Badal cited chilling statistics: nine homicides in the year’s opening week and about 25 in January alone, occurring in courts, markets, weddings, and sacred sites.
He slammed the Punjab Police’s anti-gangster drive as mere hype, urging Bhagwant Mann to step down. ‘This is chaos masquerading as rule.’
Police officials, led by ADCP Jayant Pari, revealed multiple gunshot wounds on the victim. Investigations are probing political motives, old grudges, and gang links. Special units are deployed, with CCTV analysis underway. As Punjab grapples with this brazen killing, calls for stronger governance grow louder, testing AAP’s promise of safety and reform.