Chandigarh, September 11
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) senior leader and Leader of Opposition (LoP) Harpal Singh Cheema said, “The law and order situation in the state is deteriorating day by day. Looting and murder are being committed every day.” He alleged that the Congress government was directly responsible for the rising crime rate in Punjab which had not taken any stern action against the fugitives.
In a statement issued from the party headquarters here on Saturday, Harpal Singh Cheema said, “The number of kidnappings and subsequent ransom demands in Punjab is increasing day by day. Youngsters are being killed in broad daylight in markets in the name of gangs; but the Congress government also refuses to accept this.” He said the situation was similar during the previous Akali government and Capt Amarinder Singh had promised that after the formation of his government, these criminals would be caught and put behind bars; but now Capt Amarinder Singh has reneged on all his promises.
The AAP leader further said that according to official figures, about 25,000 fugitives were currently out of police custody in the state against whom serious cases like drug trafficking, kidnapping, extortion and contract killing were pending in the courts and no action had been taken by the police administration against these criminals. Cheema alleged that by registering cases against the criminals in the police stations, the number was being increased ostensibly, but the legal process was not being completed and the number of fugitives was increasing.
On the nexus between political leaders and criminals, Harpal Singh Cheema said that these fugitives have the backing of political leaders and political leaders use criminals for their own political interests. He said that although the ruling parties have changed, the alliance of criminals and political leaders has remained the same. He doubted that there were Punjab Assembly elections next year and that the political leaders would inevitably use these criminals for political gain.
Harpal Singh Cheema said that Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh and Punjab Police Chief Dinkar Gupta should clarify the situation regarding all the cases of fugitive criminals and increasing criminal activities in the state.
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