With the murder of Dera Sacha Sauda follower, accused of sacrilege, in Kotkapura today, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday slammed Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann led AAP government over the deteriorating law and order situation in Punjab.

“Daily murders, daylight firing, Punjab is sadly heading towards total lawlessness and the inexperienced Bhagwant Mann-led government has been able to do nothing to stop all this,” BJP leader Captain Amarinder Singh said.

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“I strongly urge him to start focusing on law and order of state before we transcend towards the dark era of ‘80s. Punjab is a peace loving state where the mutual brotherhood of people is very strong. No one will be allowed to disturb the peace of Punjab. Strict instructions to the civil and police officials to maintain the peace and tranquillity of the state,” added former Chief Minister Singh.

BJP leader Tarun Chugh said Punjab has become a terror capital of the country where the gun culture is booming and police has become a mute witness. Reacting to brutal murder of Pardeep Singh, a follower of Dera Sacha Sauda in Kotkapura today, Chugh said the law and order machinery has completely collapsed in the state.

Murders and killings are happening every other day and criminals are not being apprehended at all. Chugh said the police, who are supposed to provide security, stand paralyzed and there is an atmosphere of fear and terror in the state. He said there seems to be gun culture in Punjab which can spell doom for the border state.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said that Punjab is a peace loving state where the mutual brotherhood of people is very strong. “No one will be allowed to disturb the peace of Punjab. Strict instructions to the civil and police officials to maintain the peace and tranquillity of the state,” he said.

Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav said the situation is under control and urged people to maintain peace and harmony in the state. “Punjab Police is doing proper investigation. Request citizens not to panic or spread fake news or any hate speech,” he added.

Dera follower Pardeep Singh was shot dead when he was opening his dairy shop in Kotkapura .The incident was caught on a CCTV camera installed nearby. His gunman also sustained bullet injuries.

Singh was an accused in the theft case of a ‘bir’ of Guru Granth Sahib
from a Gurudwara in Burj Jawahar Singh Wala. The incident dates back to
2015. He was on bail and had been given police cover.

Singh is the seventh Dera follower killed in Punjab since the first sacrilege case reported from Burj Jawahar Singh Wala in Faridkot in 2015.

Earlier on 4 November, a Shiv Sena (Taksali) leader, Sudhir Kumar Suri was shot dead during a protest by the party in Amritsar. A Canada-based gangster Lakhbir Singh Landa on Saturday took the responsibility for the broad daylight murder.