Shiv Sena leader Sudhir Suri was shot dead in Punjab's Amritsar on Friday. The incident took place on Majitha Road outside a temple where Suri and some other leaders of the party were holding a protest.
Two attackers are said to be involved in the shooting. Police have arrested one of them while the other is absconding.
Talking about the shooting incident, Amritsar Police Commissioner Arunpal Singh Amritsar said, "Sudhir Suri was shot outside Gopal Mandir, Amritsar during some agitation. He sustained bullet injuries and was rushed to hopital and died. Accused has been arrested and his weapons have been recovered." According to police, more than five shots were fired at Suri after which he fell down and lost consciousness. He was taken to a hospital where he succumbed to bullet injuries, they said.
Reacting on the incident, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Tajinder Singh Bagga lashed out at the Aam Aadmdi Party (AAP) government and said that law and order has collapsed in Punjab. He tweeted, "Law and order collapsed in Punjab, Shiv sena leader Sudhir Suri injured in firing in Amritsar." Punjab BJP president Ashwani Sharma also slammed the Punjab government and said the law and order situation has completely broken down in the state.
Sudhir Suri, a Hindutva right wing leader, was protesting with his associates outside the temple over a management dispute when the incident happened. Suri was reportedly on a hit list of several gangsters for a long time and hence was already provided security with around eight Punjab Police personnel being attached with him.
Suri was a leader who attracted controversies. Last year in July, he was in headlines for using offensive language and hurting the religious sentitments of a community through a video posted on his facebook account. He was later arrested for the same.