LUDHIANA: The business community in industrial town of Ludhiana is living under the grip of fear due to series of extortion calls to the businessmen. A local furniture merchant of the city is the latest target who has received extortion call for Rs.2 crores.
The extortion calls are continuing even as the AAP government in Punjab has launched the "Gangstran Te Vaar' campaign to counter the threat from gangsters. Not only extortions but targeted killings by gangsters are also going on unabated. Punjab Police claimed to have rounded up over 12oo aides of gangsters but it seems to have made no dent on the activities of the gangsters.
The threat to a leading furniture merchant has been allegedly issued by Balwinder Singh alias Doni Bal who is continuously calling the businessman from an international phone number. The businessman Jagjeet Singh, a resident of Guru Nanak Colony and owner of a furniture showroom had received first call on January 17 from wehats ap number listed abroad. The caller who identified himself as Doni Bal has told Singh to pay Rs.2 crore, otherwise he will be killed. The victim has filed a police complaint in Sadar police station. A FIR was lodged under section 308(4) of BNS.
Only last week Ranbir Singh Bedi a chemist of Dera Baba Nanak was shot dead by the gang of Doni Bal who had demanded Rs.50 lakh from the deceased. He was shot dead from close range but police has failed to get any clue of killers.