Ludhiana Gurdwara Firing Solved: Hardcore Criminal Released 5 Days Ago Arrested for Extortion Bid at Historic Shrine

The serene atmosphere of the historic Gurdwara Patshahi Dasvin Manji Sahib in village Rajoana Kalan, Jagraon (Ludhiana), was shattered by gunfire, leaving the Sikh community and local residents in a state of deep shock and anger. However, in a major breakthrough, the Ludhiana Rural Police have successfully cracked the case and arrested the main shooter.

Shockingly, the arrested criminal had walked out of jail on bail in a drug smuggling case just five days prior to the incident. Wasting no time, he immediately plunged back into the dark world of crime, this time targeting a holy shrine to execute a chilling extortion plot.

The Night of the Incident: How the Attack Unfolded The terrifying incident took place in the dead of night on October 28. At approximately 3:10 AM, two masked miscreants arrived at Gurdwara Manji Sahib on a motorcycle. Under the pretext of paying obeisance, one of the masked men stepped inside the holy premises.

At that hour, Head Granthi Bhai Kulwant Singh was present on duty. Noticing the unusual timing of the visit, he questioned the man about why he had come so late. The suspect cleverly replied that he had come to bow before the Guru and that his companion was following right behind him. Displaying basic human courtesy, the Head Granthi even offered him tea.

However, the intruder’s intentions were anything but pious. Moments later, as the Head Granthi turned away, the suspect pulled out a weapon and fired directly at the residential room of the shrine’s chief Sewadar, Baba Baldev Singh. The bullet pierced through the wooden and aluminum gate, eventually lodging itself into the wall. Fortunately, no one was injured in the attack, averting a major tragedy. Having executed their warning shot, both criminals immediately fled the scene on their motorcycle.

The Investigation: Tracing 200 Kilometers of CCTV Footage The brazen firing at a historical Gurdwara sparked massive outrage among the Sikh Sangat. Acknowledging the sensitivity and gravity of the situation, the Ludhiana Rural Police launched a massive manhunt.

Investigating teams meticulously scanned and analyzed nearly 200 kilometers of CCTV footage, tracing both the backward and forward routes taken by the assailants. By perfectly synchronizing technical surveillance with ground-level human intelligence, the police zeroed in on the main shooter. The arrested accused has been identified as Raj Singh, alias Raju, a resident of Nurpur (Machiwara) in the Ferozepur district.

The Real Motive: Blackmail and Extortion Initial police investigations have completely ruled out any religious animosity, revealing a pure criminal conspiracy. The entire shooting was a calculated move designed to blackmail and extort a hefty ransom from the chief Sewadar, Baba Baldev Singh.

During interrogation, it came to light that the accused had made threatening phone calls to the Sewadar a few days before the incident, demanding extortion money. When their demands were not met, they resorted to this violent act to instill fear and force a payout.

A Career Criminal: 16 Years of Crime and 8 FIRs Addressing the media, SSP Dr. Ankur Gupta revealed that the arrested shooter, Raj Singh alias Raju, is a notorious, hardened criminal with a long and dark history in the underworld. Over the last 16 years, he has been involved in multiple serious offenses.

Prior to this firing incident, Raju already had 7 severe criminal cases registered against him, ranging from extortion and arms smuggling to drug trafficking (NDPS). His rap sheet includes:

• 2010: Section 384 (Extortion), Sadar Kotkapura Police Station.

• 2011: Sections 382, 411, City Faridkot Police Station.

• 2016: Arms Act, Shahkot (Jalandhar) Police Station.

• 2020: Sections 385, 511, and Arms Act, City Faridkot Police Station.

• 2022 to 2025: Three separate NDPS (Narcotics) Act cases registered at Sadar Zira Police Station in Ferozepur.

The most alarming aspect of his profile is his blatant disregard for the law. Raju was released on bail from jail on October 23. A mere five days later, on October 28, he executed the Gurdwara firing. This latest arrest marks the eighth criminal case registered against him.

What Lies Ahead: The Manhunt Continues While the arrest of the main shooter is a massive relief for the community and a victory for the police, the case is not fully closed. The police have successfully identified and traced a total of four accused involved in this extortion syndicate.

With Raju now in police custody, specialized police teams are conducting continuous raids to apprehend the second shooter who was on the motorcycle, as well as the masterminds who issued the threatening calls and orchestrated the crime. The Ludhiana Rural Police have assured the public that the remaining culprits will be behind bars very soon, ensuring strict justice is served.