As the year 2025 drew to a close, the industrial city of Ludhiana was left grappling with the shadow of several high-profile criminal cases that remain unresolved. The local police force faces mounting questions over its inability to secure arrests for the primary accused in major incidents, while in other cases, the perpetrators have not even been identified.
High-Profile Cases: Arrests Elude Police
The wedding resort firing on November 29 sent shockwaves through the city. The incident involved two rival gangs opening fire at each other during a wedding celebration, tragically killing two innocent guests. The police managed to arrest only one accused, Ankur, who has a criminal history. The main shooters remain at large. Investigations revealed the violence stemmed from a rivalry between Ankur and another notorious figure, Shubham Arora, both invited to the wedding of contractor Varinder Kapoor. The deceased were identified as the groom's aunt, Neeru Chhabra, and a family friend, Vasu Chopra. While four individuals were held for sheltering the accused, the key perpetrators are still free.
In another significant case, the murder of former SAD MP Jagdev Singh Talwandi's personal assistant, Kuldeep Singh, on June 27 remains partially unsolved. Kuldeep was brutally attacked and killed near Dhandra Road after assailants in a car rammed his vehicle. A crucial video of the incident was captured by a local woman. Police traced the car to a taxi owner, who revealed it was borrowed by Inderpal Singh, a relative of the victim from Doraha. A property dispute is suspected as the motive. Although Inderpal has been named in the FIR, he has not been apprehended.
In a joint operation with Jammu Police in July, one suspect, Gurcharan Singh, was arrested in connection with a murder. However, the main conspirator behind the killing is still absconding.
Mysteries and Unidentified Assailants
Several cases from 2025 have proven even more elusive, with police unable to identify those responsible. In an October 5 incident on Pakhowal Road, two men on a motorcycle fired at police near a checkpoint, injuring a 25-year-old civilian, Lakhwinder Singh of Dehlon. Despite Lakhwinder's brave attempt to catch one attacker, the assailants escaped. Over six months later, they have not been traced, though police claim to have some clues.
The city also witnessed tragic stray bullet deaths. On October 20, 27-year-old Amit Kumar of Panj Peer Road was found dead with a bullet wound outside his house. Police, led by Inspector Vijay Kumar of PAU station, concluded it was a stray bullet but found no leads. Similarly, on January 20, eight-year-old Aashiana was struck by a stray bullet while watching kites on her roof in Madhopuri. The bullet was surgically removed, but the source of the fire was never determined despite investigations into local weapon licenses.
Community Concern and Police Accountability
The accumulation of these unsolved cases has led to growing public concern about law and order in Ludhiana. The failure to arrest key accused in planned violent crimes and the mystery surrounding random shootings point to significant challenges in investigation and intelligence gathering. As the new year begins, pressure mounts on the Ludhiana Police Commissionerate to crack these cases and deliver justice to the victims' families, restoring a sense of security in Punjab's industrial hub.
