RSS leader Jagdish Gagneja shot at in Jalandhar, is critical.
Highlights
- Jagdish Gagneja was shot at by 2 bike-borne assailants
- He is the Sah-sarsanghchalak of the RSS's Punjab unit
- His condition is said to be critical
A senior RSS leader from Punjab, Brigadier (Retd) Jagdish Gagneja, was shot at by bike-borne assailants in Jalandhar on Saturday night, police said.
Mr Gagneja, the Sah-sarsanghchalak or vice-president of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's Punjab unit, was travelling in his car with his wife when he was attacked around 8 pm in the city's busy Jyoti Chowk area. According to an eyewitness, he was hit by three bullets.
Mr Gagneja was rushed to a nearby hospital. His condition is said to be critical.
No arrests have been made yet. A special investigation team has been formed to probe the attack. Police officials are scanning CCTV footage of cameras installed in the area to identify the assailants.
Soon after the attack, police reviewed security at the RSS headquarters in Delhi last night. Security has also been increased around the hospital where Mr Gagneja is undergoing treatment.
Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal, who is also the state home minister, tweeted: "I strongly condemn the dastardly attack on Brig Jagdish Gagneja, Vice President of the RSS (Punjab)"
Condemning that attack, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee President Amarinder Singh said "Such intimidation is unacceptable."
"People may not agree or approve of RSS ideology, but in a democracy everyone has a right to pursue his political and ideological beliefs," he added.