The broad daylight killing of renowned Abohar-based cloth merchant and designer Sanjay Verma, known as Punjab’s ‘Kurta Pajama King,’ has sparked statewide outrage and political turbulence.
Verma was gunned down around 10 am on Monday by three armed assailants near his showroom. While the shooters remain unidentified, police arrested Jaspreet Singh and Ram Rattan—alleged accomplices who helped them escape. Both were killed hours later in a police encounter, drawing criticism and demands for a CBI probe from BJP leaders like Manjinder Singh Sirsa.
Sirsa accused the AAP-led Punjab government of failing to maintain law and order. Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu echoed the sentiment, alleging a surrender to gangster networks and calling AAP’s statements deflective. He dismissed AAP leader Aman Arora’s claims of central protection to jailed gangsters as “baseless and inflammatory.”
AAP retaliated, accusing the BJP of politicizing the tragedy and backing gangsters. Meanwhile, a photo surfaced of Congress MLA Sandeep Jakhar with a suspect, which Jakhar dismissed as unrelated and from his campaign trail.
Gangster Aarzoo Bishnoi claimed responsibility on social media, tagging Canada-based Goldy Brar and others. He later stated that the two men killed had no involvement. Police have not verified these claims.
Despite the political slugfest, Sanjay Verma’s family expressed faith in the investigation and urged leaders to refrain from politicizing the tragedy. The search for the actual shooters is ongoing.