Man attacked with sharp-edged weapons in Punjab, dies

Bathinda, Jul 8 (PTI) A man was attacked by two people with sharp-edged weapons in full public view here, leading to his death, police said on Monday.

Jaspal Singh Athiyani, 40, was taken to a government hospital where he succumbed to injuries, police said.

A video of the attack that took place near Maur Mandi on Sunday has surfaced on social media in which Athiyani could be seen lying on the ground while the assailants repeatedly hit him with weapons.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (Maur) Rahul Bhardwaj said the attack was the result of old rivalry. Athiyani was one of the accused in a 2020 murder case.

Police said a case has been registered against six people and efforts were on to nab them.

The incident comes days after Shiv Sena (Punjab) leader Sandeep Thapar was attacked with swords in Ludhiana on July 5. Thapar got grievously injured but survived the attack.

Meanwhile, Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal and his wife and Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal condemned the incident and raised questions over the law and order situation under the AAP government in the state.

“Barbarity reigns in full force in broad daylight under @AamAadmiParty rule. Yet another bloody incident took place near Maur Mandi truck union this evening. It has become absolutely clear that gangsters and anti – social elements no longer fear the law and are a law unto themselves,” Sukhbir Singh Badal said on X on Sunday.

“When will chief minister @BhagwantMann come out of deep slumber and take corrective steps to rein in such elements? Punjabis are waiting in despair,” he said.

Harsimrat Badal, in her post, said, “Incident after incident. In broad daylight. Now in Maur Mandi this evening. Gangsters and anti-social elements are striking at will but chief minister @BhagwantMann continues to be in a state of slumber and content with indulging in cheap ‘tamashas’.

“Punjabis expect the Aam Aadmi Party govt to at least provide them a sense of security. Is that too much to ask?” she said.