AAP using religion as shield to target Sukhbir Badal, alleges SAD
Chandigarh (PTI): The Shiromani Akali Dal on Saturday accused the Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab of using religion as a shield to target its president, Sukhbir Singh Badal, and frame him in a false case as part of a political vendetta.
Addressing a press conference here, senior Akali leaders Balwinder Singh Bhundur, Maheshinder Singh Grewal and Daljit Singh Cheema alleged that the AAP government started targeting the SAD leadership after failing politically.
They also alleged that the attack on Badal at the entrance of the Golden Temple in Amritsar, where he was serving a religious penance (‘seva’), in December 2024, was government-sponsored, which was followed by the harassment of income tax lawyers associated with the SAD chief in Ludhiana and Bathinda.
The SAD leaders said Badal will not be intimidated by such tactics and will continue to expose the AAP government's “anti-Punjab policies”.
They also claimed that attempts were being made to link the arrest of an accountant hired by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) with the issue of 328 missing 'saroops' (sacred copies) of the Guru Granth Sahib to target Badal, alleging that the main accused in the case was a former SGPC employee now associated with the AAP.
The SAD leaders also accused AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal of pursuing a personal vendetta against former SAD minister Bikram Singh Majithia after being forced to apologise to him over alleged baseless charges.
The Punjab Vigilance Bureau arrested Majithia on June 25 last year in a disproportionate assets case that allegedly involved the accumulation of Rs 540 crore of wealth.
The SAD leaders claimed that despite intelligence inputs suggesting a threat to Majithia from the Babbar Khalsa International, adequate security had not been ensured for the jailed leader.
Alleging a threat to his life, they demanded that Majithia be shifted from the Nabha jail to a designated secure prison, warning that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Kejriwal would be responsible if any harm came to him.
Cheema said a SAD delegation will soon seek an appointment with the Punjab governor (Gulab Chand Kataria) to apprise him of what he described as a conspiracy against the SAD leadership.
He also accused the AAP of targeting the SGPC, the Akal Takht Sahib and mediapersons critical of the state government.
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Elderly woman killed, robbed on outskirts of Bengaluru
Bengaluru (PTI): A 69-year-old woman was allegedly murdered and robbed of her gold ornaments at her residence on the city’s outskirts while her paralysed husband was present, police said Thursday.
The incident occurred on Pete Street in Nelamangala, where Shobha lived with her husband, who is paralysed and bedridden, police said.
For the past decade, she had been the sole caregiver for her husband. The couple had no children and lived a secluded life, according to police.
A video from the scene showed the woman lying in a pool of blood, with her husband beside her on the same bed, they said.
The accused, Shivakumar, a wholesale shop owner who has been arrested in the case, allegedly targeted her to clear a debt of Rs 8 lakh, police said.
The crime came to light on Wednesday evening when her husband’s physiotherapist arrived for a scheduled session. Upon finding Shobha’s lifeless body in a pool of blood, the doctor immediately alerted the local authorities, police officials said.
According to police, at approximately 4 pm on the day of the incident, the accused, Shivakumar, a resident of the same locality, noticed Shobha wearing gold jewellery. He allegedly followed her to her residence with a premeditated plan.
Shivakumar entered the house under the guise of being thirsty, asking Shobha for a glass of water. Once inside, and believing she was alone, he attacked her. When Shobha attempted to resist, the accused allegedly slit her throat, a senior police officer said.
After the murder, Shivakumar fled the scene with more than 100 grams of gold jewellery worn by the victim, police said.
By analysing CCTV footage from the surrounding area, police identified Shivakumar and tracked him down, they added.
