Chandigarh, July 7 (IANS) Well-known fashion designer and showroom co-owner Sanjay Verma was shot dead in broad daylight by three people outside his store in Punjab’s Abohar city on Monday.

Eyewitnesses said three assailants arrived on a motorcycle and opened fire on him as Verma stepped out of his showroom. The attackers fired multiple shots at him, causing panic in the area.

The police said the motive of the crime is not known but they are exploring all possible angles, including business rivalry and personal enmity.

The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition but was declared dead on arrival.

Police have been scanning CCTV footage near the crime scene to identify the attackers. Senior police officials, who reached the spot, assured the victim’s family members and residents that they would apprehend the culprits early.

Responding to the incident, Shiromani Akali Dal President Sukhbir Badal said the law and order in Punjab has plummeted to its lowest point. “The shocking daylight murder of Sanjay Verma, owner of The New Wear Well Tailors in Abohar, underscores the prevailing ‘jungle raj’. Businessmen and professionals, including doctors, artists and athletes, are facing grave threats from extortionists. “I strongly condemn this brutal killing and offer heartfelt condolences to the Verma family. The perpetrators must be arrested immediately and brought to justice.”

Saying the broad daylight murder is yet another eerie reminder that Punjab’s law and order has totally collapsed, BJP state President Sunil Jakhar said, “Deafening silence of the AAP government after each such killing only emboldens the gangsters. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann must tell Punjabis who is responsible for this blot on Punjab’s name. Wake up, it’s already too late.”

Another BJP leader Fatehjung Singh Bajwa said, “This heinous act is a glaring indictment of the complete breakdown of law and order in Punjab. The cold-blooded killing of a respected citizen in full public view exposes the utter failure and absence of governance under Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann. The people of Punjab demand answers, how long will innocent lives be sacrificed while the government remains a silent spectator?”

–IANS

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