A petrol bomb was hurled by unidentified persons at the BJP office in Punjab's Sangrur district, an incident which drew sharp reactions from the party, which alleged growing audacity of criminals has become the "hallmark" of AAP rule. Police said no one was hurt in the incident which occurred late Sunday night, adding that efforts are on to trace the culprits. Upon receiving information, a team of senior police officials reached the BJP office at Uppli Road. Following inspection of the site, it appeared that an ignited petrol-filled bottle was thrown towards the building from the outer wall, an official said. "Petrol was filled in a beer bottle and it was thrown from the outer cordon of the building. A burn mark was found on the wall. We will take strict action against those behind this incident," Sangrur Superintendent of Police Davinder Atrri said.
A forensic team was called to collect samples, police said, adding that CCTV footage of nearby areas was being scanned to trace those who threw the petrol bomb. Several police teams have been formed to crack the case, they said. Local BJP leader Randeep Singh Deol said a staff member of the party office reported the incident. "Attack on the BJP office shows the inefficiency of the AAP government. Earlier, there was an attack on the party office in Chandigarh. It is quite unfortunate," Deol said. Punjab BJP chief Kewal Singh Dhillon condemned the incident and lashed out at the AAP government over law and order. "The attacks on BJP offices in Punjab, the targeting of BJP leaders, and the growing audacity of criminals have become the hallmark of the 'jungle raj' under Bhagwant Mann and Arvind Kejriwal. Every attempt to silence the voice of the opposition through violence will fail. The people of Punjab are demanding answers: Is the rule of law prevailing in the state, or has it given way to lawlessness and gangsterism," Dhillon questioned. Questioning the government's ability to maintain law and order and protect the people of the state, Dhillon said, "...daily incidents of explosions, attacks, robberies, murders and bloodshed across Punjab clearly demonstrate that the present government has completely failed to safeguard the lives and property of its citizens. As a result, ordinary people no longer feel safe even inside their own homes." He said the petrol bomb attack on the BJP office in Sangrur -- the home district of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who also holds the home portfolio -- is evidence that criminals no longer fear police.
He questioned how Punjab was expected to feel secure when the its home minister's own district is witnessing such incidents. The Punjab BJP president said this was not an isolated incident but part of a series of attacks across the state. Dhillon said the AAP government has completely failed in governing Punjab and ensuring the safety and security of its people. He added that people of Punjab are now prepared to hold the government accountable for every such incident and expose the false promises of "badlav" (change).
Former Union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu said the news of the "explosion" at the Sangrur BJP office is extremely unfortunate and deeply concerning. "In this difficult time, we stand strongly with each of our workers and the area's residents," said Bittu, who visited the party office in Sangrur to take stock of the situation. Lashing out the Punjab director general of police, Bittu said, "When will you wake up?" He said people have made up their mind to form BJP government in Punjab. BJP leader Parminder Singh Brar too hit out at the Bhagwant Mann government over the incident.
"A petrol bomb attack on the BJP office in Sangrur, the chief minister's own home district is a damning indictment of Punjab's collapsing law and order. Bhagwant Mann ji, is this your much-publicised "Rangla Punjab"? Violence and intimidation have no place in democracy. The people of Punjab deserve safety, not fear," Brar said in a post on X. Last month, two unidentified persons threw a petrol bomb at a clinic of a homeopathy doctor -- a local BJP leader -- in Bathinda district. On April 1, a blast incident occurred outside the Punjab BJP headquarters in Chandigarh.