Chandigarh: The son of Congress MP and former Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa has allegedly received a death threat from jailed gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria. The threat, according to Randhawa, was followed within an hour by a firing incident at a shop his son had recently visited. The incident has once again brought Punjab’s deteriorating law and order situation under sharp public and political scrutiny.
Randhawa took to social media on July 31 to allege that Bhagwanpuria’s men threatened his son Uday. “A youth came and met my son at his shop. Within an hour, there was a firing at the same shop. The shooter is linked to jailed gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria,” Randhawa wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter). He added that even family members of elected representatives were not safe in Punjab anymore.
However, AAP senior leader Neel Garg said, “Congress has no moral authority to speak on law and order. Gangsters like Jaggu Bhagwanpuria and Ansari were given shelter during Congress rule. They hired lawyers (Congress) to defend these criminals. Randhawa himself must reflect on his tenure before blaming others.” Garg reiterated that the AAP government is committed to eradicating gangster networks from Punjab and is actively supporting the police with full autonomy to act against criminal elements. He also urged Randhawa to formally share the threat details with law enforcement rather than politicizing the issue on social media.
This rebuttal from AAP comes as the state government faces criticism over rising gangster threats and public safety, especially after the recent firing incident linked to Randhawa’s son.
The Punjab Police have taken note of the public statement and launched a probe. Investigators are currently verifying a threat comment posted on an Instagram reel of Randhawa’s son and checking CCTV footage from the shop in Fatehgarh Churian where the firing took place. A .32-bore weapon is believed to have been used. No injuries were reported, but police have not ruled out the possibility of the shooting being linked to the earlier meeting.
Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, currently lodged in Silchar Central Jail in Assam, is one of Punjab’s most feared gangsters. His name has been linked to several high-profile crimes, including the murder of singer Sidhu Moosewala. Despite being behind bars, Bhagwanpuria is believed to operate his network through his aides.
This is not the first time Randhawa has raised alarms over threats from Bhagwanpuria. On November 8, 2024, during the Punjab Assembly by-election campaign, Randhawa filed a complaint with the Election Commission, alleging that Bhagwanpuria was threatening voters via video calls from jail. According to Randhawa, the gangster’s men were warning people not to vote for Congress candidates, particularly in the Dera Baba Nanak area.
The Congress leader has accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab of allowing gangsters to flourish unchecked. He described the state as a “gangster’s paradise” and said that the law-and-order machinery had collapsed under the current regime. “What kind of justice system are we running where gangsters jailed hundreds of kilometres away can threaten and shoot at our children?” he asked.
