Phagwara (Gurpreet Singh) A late-night firing incident at the home of Aam Aadmi Party leader Daljit Raju sent shockwaves through Darvesh village near Phagwara early Thursday, after two armed men allegedly emptied several rounds at his residence and vanished before authorities arrived.
The attack occurred shortly after 1 a.m., when the family—Raju, his wife and their daughter—were asleep on the upper floor of the house. The gunmen, whose faces were covered, reportedly moved close to the structure and opened fire repeatedly. Bullets struck the glass façade and windows on the first floor, but the occupants remained unharmed.
Raju recounted that he woke up to the sound of gunshots and, on glancing outside, spotted two assailants holding what appeared to be pistols or revolvers. They were firing from close range and fled immediately after the attack.
A CCTV clip retrieved from the property provided additional clues. The footage shows two motorbike-borne individuals entering the village, parking near the main gate and proceeding on foot toward Raju’s house. One suspect was captured throwing four handwritten pages into the compound. The papers carried a chilling message referencing “Kala Rana Group — 5 crore,” raising suspicions of an extortion attempt.
In his statement, Raju said he has never been involved in any dispute that could trigger such violence. He insisted that the incident appeared to be an act of intimidation by criminal groups. Several empty cartridges were recovered from the scene, indicating a rapid, concentrated burst of firing.
Police teams arrived soon after the call for help. Two SHOs reached the location in the night, followed by SP Madhvi Sharma and DSP Bharat Bhushan, who assessed the damage and met the family at daybreak. Lok Sabha MP Dr. Raj Kumar Chabbewal and Halka Incharge Harnoor Singh Maan also visited the residence to offer support.
A formal case has been lodged at the Satnampura Police Station under Sections 308(5), 61(2), 324(4), 111 of the BNS, as well as relevant provisions of the Arms Act (25-54-59). SSP Gaurav Toora said investigators are pursuing multiple leads, including a possible extortion racket and the involvement of local gangs. He added that CCTV feeds from nearby streets are being scanned to trace the attackers’ route.
Enhanced police patrolling has been deployed across the area as the hunt for the shooters continues.
