A spate of criminal incidents has sent shockwaves through Punjab's Doaba region, with over a dozen cases of theft, armed robbery, and cyber fraud reported within a span of just a few days. The districts of Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur, and Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar have been particularly affected, leaving residents and business owners in a state of fear and demanding urgent security interventions from authorities.
Jewellery Heists and Foiled Robberies
In one of the most audacious crimes, a gang of approximately a dozen masked thieves looted gold and silver ornaments worth Rs 70-80 lakh from Babbar Jewellers in Jalandhar's Shahid Babu Labh Singh Nagar. The incident occurred in the early hours of Monday, December 29, 2025. According to police citing CCTV footage, the perpetrators, wearing masks and gloves, arrived around 2:30 AM. They used iron rods and a shawl to uproot the shop's shutter, gaining entry within minutes and completing the theft in about ten minutes, targeting both the safe and counter displays.
Just a day earlier, on December 28, a robbery attempt was courageously foiled at another jewellery shop in a densely populated market of Jalandhar West. Two masked men, armed with pistols, pretended to enquire about a silver bracelet before brandishing their weapons at a woman at the counter. Her husband, Vipin Verma, reacted swiftly by climbing over the counter and pushing the robbers out, with his wife following. The assailants fled as locals gathered.
A Series of Disturbing Incidents Across Districts
The crime wave was not confined to Jalandhar. In a brazen early morning attack on December 26, armed robbers barged into the house of Lakhwinder Singh in the Awalpur area. They looted cash worth Rs 1 lakh and 100 grams of gold valued at Rs 12-13 lakh at gunpoint. On Christmas Day, December 25, thieves struck four houses in Rampur Jagir village, making off with around 70 grams of gold and silver jewellery along with cash, despite a police post being located barely a kilometre away.
In a separate high-value theft, unidentified criminals uprooted an ATM machine of the State Bank of India in Phagwara's Khajurala village between 3:00 and 3:30 AM on December 28 and escaped with Rs 27 lakh in cash, reportedly using a Swift car. Adding to the list of crimes, a resident of Jalandhar's Jain Colony, Amritpal Singh, reported being defrauded of Rs 12.17 lakh through an online investment app scam, where he was shown fake profits and asked to pay additional "taxes."
Police Action and Political Reactions
In a significant breakthrough, police arrested three robbery suspects following a brief encounter near Garhshankar in Hoshiarpur district on December 27. The suspects, identified as Onkar Singh alias Gora, Ram Asra alias Shami, and Arman alias Manga, opened fire at a police team. One was injured in the retaliation. They were linked to a robbery at a money changer's shop in Mahilpur and another in Hoshiarpur Sadar. Police recovered two country-made pistols and ammunition.
Authorities have stated that CCTV footage is a critical tool in tracking the movements of suspects and their vehicles. They have pointed out that criminals are taking advantage of the prevailing dense fog conditions. While police claim intensified patrols and intelligence-based operations are ongoing, the business community and residents are demanding faster action and improved surveillance.
The situation has triggered a political blame game. Congress MLA from Jalandhar Cantt, Pargat Singh, alleged a severe deterioration of law and order under the ruling Aam Aadmi Party government. He claimed that incidents of firing, killings, and armed robberies have created widespread fear, making Punjab one of the worst states in terms of security.
