The once tranquil belts of Ludhiana rural and Khanna were jolted awake in 2025 by a disturbing wave of criminal activities. From brazen shootouts and kidnappings to drug scandals and international gangster links, the year kept police forces on their toes, leading to a series of dramatic encounters and arrests.
A Turbulent Year for Ludhiana Rural
The year's troubles began gaining attention in February when a viral video showed a woman drug peddler in Narangwal openly challenging a sarpanch to stop her trade. The clip reached Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, prompting Ludhiana rural police to demolish the peddler's property.
Violence escalated in March with a firing incident at Lakhe Wale Jewelers showroom near Rani Jhansi Chowk in Jagraon. Police later arrested the main accused after an encounter where he was shot in the leg. The same month saw a shocking case in Jodhan where a man was allegedly beaten, drugged, and thrown into a canal by his ex-girlfriend and her partner.
By June, even a police constable, Manjeet Singh of Chowkima, was booked for allegedly robbing a person at knife-point in Jagraon.
International Links and Fatal Attacks
The crime trail extended beyond borders. On July 5, a hardware shop owner in Rumi village, Jagraon, was shot at. Investigators traced the conspiracy to a suspected California-based gangster, uncovering an international money trail. The victim had received a ransom call from a foreign number.
Tragedy struck on July 29 when Jaskirat Singh, a stock market investor from Jagraon, was attacked by assailants who set his car on fire. He later died from his injuries. Police arrested the main accused by August 1.
Earlier, on July 9, a property advisor's home in Baddowal village was targeted with a petrol bomb and gunfire. Police later arrested six men and booked twelve, including a US-based gangster, linking the attack to a land dispute.
Police Crackdowns and Dramatic Encounters
Police responded with force. In an August 8 encounter in Sidhwan Bet, the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) seriously injured an alleged criminal. Later, on August 24, Ludhiana rural police averted a potential grenade attack near Jandi village after an exchange of fire that left one accused injured.
The violence touched the sports community around October-end when Tejpal Singh, a 25-year-old circle-style Kabaddi player, was shot dead following an altercation in Jagraon. The accused were subsequently arrested.
Khanna's Year of Chaos and Rescue Ops
Neighbouring Khanna district mirrored this chaos. In March, a seven-year-old boy, Bhavkirat, was kidnapped from Seehan Daud village while playing outside his home. Punjab police rescued him a day later after an encounter with the kidnappers near Nabha.
May saw a significant drug bust where Khanna police arrested eleven persons, including a police head constable and three PSPCL employees, recovering 230 grams of heroin.
A targeted shooting at Chak Lohat village on July 29 left 28-year-old Jaspreet Singh seriously injured. Khanna police arrested ten suspects, alleging the mastermind, Sarabjit Singh alias Sabi based in the US, orchestrated the attack over a suspected affair involving his wife.
In a heart-wrenching case in September, a three-year-old boy, kidnapped from Garhi Tarkhana village, was rescued after being sold to a childless couple in a neighbouring state. Six suspects were arrested.
The month also saw police bust a large-scale investment fraud running into crores, where hundreds were duped by a Ponzi scheme disguised as an organic farming company.
Violence persisted towards the year's end. On October 30, a hairdresser was shot and injured. On November 3, a firing in Manki village killed 23-year-old Gurinder Singh Kinda. Police made arrests in both cases. In a separate incident in December, police arrested a man who fired at an acting sarpanch's son in Rajgarh.
Amid the crime wave, a tragic accident in July claimed the lives of four women and three children when their van crashed into the Sirhind canal.
Police Focus on Prevention for 2026
Reflecting on the year, Khanna SSP Dr. Jyoti Yadav stated that all major cases were solved promptly. She emphasized that the focus for the New Year would be on crime prevention, increased patrolling, and stringent action against drugs.
Echoing similar sentiments, SSP Ludhiana Rural, Dr. Ankur Gupta, confirmed that the district's cases were successfully cracked. He outlined that the priority for 2026 is to check organised crime and act firmly against gangsters and drug peddlers.
