Panic and chaos gripped the Ladhowal toll plaza on the outskirts of Ludhiana on Saturday night after a violent confrontation between toll staff and a group of men in an SUV escalated into gunfire. The incident, which occurred around 10 pm, sent shockwaves through the area but, fortunately, resulted in no injuries.
Dispute Over VIP Lane and Toll Fee Escalates
The trouble began when an SUV, traveling from Ludhiana towards Phillaur, entered the toll plaza's designated VIP lane. Toll worker Kuljit Singh reported to the police that the vehicle had multiple occupants who insisted on passing through without paying the mandatory toll tax. When the staff on duty asked them to produce a valid VIP pass for authorization, the occupants refused and launched into a heated argument.
One of the men from the SUV allegedly claimed to be a chairman of a government department but still failed to provide any form of identification to substantiate his claim. As the staff stood their ground and attempted to prevent the group from forcibly opening the barrier, the situation turned violent.
Scuffle Turns into Gunfire, Attackers Flee
The argument quickly spiraled into physical assault, with the enraged group beginning to beat the toll plaza employees. In a terrifying turn of events, Kuljit Singh stated that one of the assailants then pulled out a firearm and fired four to five shots directly at the staff. The quick-thinking employees managed to avoid being hit by diving for cover.
The sound of gunshots prompted other employees to rush out of their booths. This reaction seemed to startle the attackers, who then fled the scene in their vehicle, heading towards the South City bridge. The toll-point workers immediately alerted the Ladhowal police, who swiftly reached the spot to begin their investigation.
Police Investigation and Manhunt Underway
Station House Officer (SHO) Gurshinder Kaur of the Ladhowal police station confirmed that a formal case has been registered against the unidentified accused under the stringent Arms Act. The preliminary investigation suggests there were at least three to four people inside the SUV involved in the brazen attack.
Police clarified that, according to their initial findings, the person fired the shots towards the ground. A critical piece of evidence, the CCTV footage from the toll plaza, was secured by the police for analysis. Reports indicate the footage shows a person dressed in a coat and trousers, visibly carrying a weapon, walking towards a car while several individuals with sticks run in the same direction.
In a significant development, police sources have hinted that they may have already identified the main accused and obtained the registration number of the vehicle used in the shooting. A manhunt is currently underway to apprehend all individuals involved in this alarming incident that threatened public safety at a key infrastructure point.
