After RSS volunteer killing, ‘threats’ to Sena leaders in Punjab, Opp questions AAP govt

While Sanjeev and Sachin Ghanoli said a man claiming to represent Sher-E-Punjab Brigade and identifying himself as Baghel Singh called them from a UK-based number soon after Arora’s killing, and threa­tened they were “next”, on Tuesday, Ludhiana-based Shiv Sena leader Rajiv Tandon complai­ned about an identical threat.

Arora, who ran a small shop in the main Ferozepur bazaar. His association with the Sangh went back to his grandfather’s time, with his in-laws too members of the Sangh, as per the BJP Ferozepur unit.

Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar, who attended the prayer meeting held for Arora Tuesday, said the state was seeing “targeted killings”, “in a clear bid to destroy communal harmony”.

Punjab BJP state working president Ashwani Kumar Sharma alleged that “gang wars and murders have reached record levels” in the past three-and-a-half years. “AAP government has failed to manage the situation.”  Ferozepur BJP chief Sarabjeet Singh Bath said “the audacity of unknown groups claiming responsibility has shocked the community”.

RSS kshetriya prachark Pramod Kumar and prant pracharak Narinder Kumar, who attended Arora’s cremation Sunday, said the Sangh was shaken but not deterred. “Our daily shakhas continue, and we are busy observing the centenary year of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji,” a senior pracharak said.

Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal said there was “jungle raj” in Punjab, with “peace and communal harmony in serious danger”.

Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring Tuesday said: “Nobody is safe in Punjab today… Sadly killings have been normalized in Punjab under the AAP regime.”

AAP MLA Ranbir Singh Bhu­l­lar, who represents Ferozepur city, said Arora’s killing “seems to be part of some conspiracy to spoil the city’s atmosphere”.

In recent years, while there has been a rise in the number of RSS shakhas in state, from around 600-700 to over 900, there have been a string of attacks on right-wing Hindu leaders, including those of RSS.

In November 2022, Shiv Sena (Taksali) leader Sudhir Suri was shot dead in Amritsar. While the accused, Sandeep Singh, is in jail, his brother recently contested the Tarn Taran bypoll on the ticket of Shiromani Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De)—the outfit of the jailed pro-Khalistani MP Amritpal Singh—and finished third.

In April 2024, VHP leader Vikas Prabhakar alias Vikas Bagga was shot dead near Nangal in Rupnagar district. In July 2024, Shiv Sena (Punjab) leader Sandeep Thapar (‘Gora’) survived a sword attack by assailants dressed as Nihang Sikhs in Ludhiana. In March this year, Mangat Rai ‘Manga’, the Moga district president of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, was shot dead by three assailants, who later posted a confession video.