A celebratory rally following an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) victory in local polls descended into violence in Ludhiana on Thursday evening, leaving five party workers injured after a clash with Congress supporters. The incident has cast a shadow over the electoral process and raised fresh concerns about political law and order in the industrial city.
Victory Celebrations Turn Sour
The trouble began in the Bachitar Nagar area of the Gill constituency. AAP workers had organized a late-evening victory procession after their candidate, Sukhbir Singh Khanna, won the block samiti election. According to accounts from AAP members, the rally was moving through the neighbourhood to thank residents when it was allegedly confronted by workers of the rival Congress party.
Narinder Singh, an AAP worker present at the scene, claimed that Congress worker Jasbir Singh, accompanied by 7 to 8 others, attempted to stop the celebrations. "They first stopped us in street number 4 and later in street number 7," he alleged. "They beat up our workers. He opened fire, while others pelted bricks at us, following which several of our workers were injured."
Details of the Attack and Injuries
The confrontation quickly turned physical and reportedly involved gunfire and brickbatting. Another injured worker, Ravinder Singh, claimed that 15–20 rounds were fired in the air, with some shots causing injuries to the legs of the AAP cadre.
The five injured AAP workers were promptly admitted to the civil hospital in Ludhiana. They have been identified as:
- Gurmukh Singh (65)
- Ravinder Singh (44)
- Gurdeep Singh (32)
- Udhamvir Singh (25)
- Mandeep Singh (36)
Medical reports indicated that all sustained leg injuries. Speaking from the hospital, injured worker Gurmukh Singh asserted that the attack was motivated by the rivals' inability to accept their electoral defeat.
Police Investigation and Aftermath
Officials from the Sadar police station visited the site of the clash and recorded statements from the injured. A police spokesperson confirmed that the matter is under inquiry. However, no arrests had been made at the time the initial reports were filed.
In the wake of the violence, the AAP immediately called off its victory celebrations. Party workers have framed the incident as a reflection of the Congress party's frustration over losing the block samiti seat in the area. This episode has once again brought the issue of political violence and the law and order situation in Ludhiana into sharp focus, highlighting the tensions that can surface around local elections.
