Another Punjabi tourist fell victim to mob violence in Himachal Pradesh. A councillor’s husband from Phillaur, Jalandhar reportedly narrowly escaped fatal attack from a mob near Gurudwara Manikaran Sahib in Himachal. The victim, Lakhwinder Lakhu informed that him and his associates has stopped by the road due to a car breakdown at around 3 am when 12 men and 3 women approached them with violent intentions.
According to the victim, the attackers came at them with sticks and sharp weapons. The victim's arm was reportedly broken at two points and one of his associates suffered injuries on his head and shoulders from a machete. The windows of the victim’s vehicle were smashed by the attackers.
Lakhu informed that he managed to escape the violence by jumping into a ravine. He managed to call the police with the help of a nearby dhaba owner. He managed to get treatment from a nearby hospital. The victim informed that he was told by his attending doctor that he had received 4 cases of Punjabis being attacked in just a day.
Lakhu also alleged that the police personnel who came to help also threatened them to not pursue any action. The victim alleges that the police also extorted money from the victim by asking them to sign a written document and withdraw the case. After which they spent Rs 8500 and reached our home after searching the car. The victim alleges that Rs 20,000 kept in their car was also missing.
This follows a slew of attack on Punjabi tourists in Himachal Pradesh which has raised concerns. On June 8, ix men driving an SUV bearing a Punjab registration number thrashed a local tractor driver Aneesh Singh reportedly over a road rage incident on Vikrambagh Road at Kala Amb near Nahan in Sirmaur district. On June 9. Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Paramjeet Singh of Chandigarh Police alleged that he was manhandled and maltreated for halting his SUV in the market at Khajjiar in Chamba. On June 11, an NRI couple – Kanwaljeet Singh, his Spanish wife – along with the husband’s brother, Jeevanjeet Singh, of Amritsar, were allegedly thrashed by local people at Khajjiar in Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh.
It is worth noting that recently MP Charanjit Singh Channi spoke to the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh regarding the attack on the NRI couple and the Chief Minister of Himachal also ordered an inquiry into the incident, but despite this, Punjabis are apparently still being targeted in Himachal.