Gurdaspur, June 4 (IANS) A senior BJP leader narrowly escaped a deadly attack after two masked assailants riding a motorcycle opened indiscriminate fire at his petrol station in Punjab’s Gurdaspur district, officials said on Thursday.

The incident took place late on Wednesday night and comes amid concerns over a series of attacks targeting BJP leaders and party establishments in the state. The attack was reportedly preceded by an extortion demand of Rs 2 crore.

According to officials, Vijay Kumar Soni, a senior BJP functionary and head of the party’s trade cell, was present at his petrol pump in Bhagwanpur when the attackers arrived and began firing at him. The assailants, whose faces were covered, allegedly targeted Soni in what appears to have been a pre-planned attack.

CCTV footage from the petrol station has surfaced and reportedly captures the entire sequence of events. The video shows two men arriving on a motorcycle before opening fire at the premises.

Soni reacted swiftly and used his licensed revolver to return fire. His response forced the attackers to abandon their assault and flee from the spot.

No casualties were reported. Soni escaped the attack unharmed due to his prompt reaction, officials said.

Police teams rushed to the scene soon after receiving information about the firing and initiated an investigation. Security personnel examined the crime scene, collected evidence, and began analysing CCTV footage to identify the accused.

Investigators are also probing the motive behind the attack, including the reported extortion threat that allegedly preceded the incident. Officials said all angles are being examined and efforts are underway to trace those involved.

The attack has once again brought attention to a series of recent incidents involving BJP leaders and offices across Punjab.

Over the past several months, multiple cases involving shootings, vandalism, crude explosive attacks, and intimidation have raised concerns over the state’s security situation.

The BJP has repeatedly accused the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of failing to maintain law and order and providing adequate protection to political workers and leaders.

Earlier, on May 11, around 20 unidentified masked youths allegedly stormed a BJP district office, vandalised the premises, threw ink at local leaders, and pelted stones. The attackers reportedly fired shots in the air while fleeing and raised slogans against the party.

Similar incidents of vandalism targeting BJP offices were also reported from Zirakpur in Mohali district, Ludhiana, and Balachaur during the same period.

In another incident in April, unidentified individuals allegedly hurled a crude bomb or grenade-like explosive device outside the Punjab BJP office in Chandigarh.

–IANS

sd/