On Saturday (13th April) evening, a Hindu activist named Vikas Bagga (also known as Vikas Prabhakar) was murdered by two unidentified men at his confectionary shop in Patiala city of Punjab.
As per reports, Bagga was the President of the Nangal unit of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP). According to CCTV footage, two men (one wearing a helmet and the other covering his face with a cloth) reached the shop of the victim at about 4:47 pm.
The man, who was wearing a helmet, was seen entering the shop and then returning within a span of 1 minute. Bagga was later found in a pool of blood. He was rushed to a local hospital but was declared dead on arrival.
In Punjab, hooliganism's at its peak, risking lives of officers and public alike. Today's tragic news of Vishwa Hindu Parishad President Shri Vikas Prabhakar ji's murder in Nangal is alarming. I stand with the grieving family, demanding swift justice. #JusticeForVikasPrabhakar pic.twitter.com/3LoSWrWLqr
— Ajayvir Singh Lalpura (@lalpurasays) April 13, 2024
The assailants were driving a scooter without a number plate. It remains unclear what kind of weapon was used in the murder.
Following the incident, BJP politician Dr Parminder SIngh condemned the killing of the VHP leader and stated that the AAP government in Punjab has failed to maintain law and order.
While speaking about the matter, Ropar SSPP Gulneet Singh Khurana informed that a probe has been launched into the matter. He added that the nature of the murder weapon would only become clear after the postmortem was conducted.
He further stated that empty cartridges were recovered from the murder scene. In the meantime, SHO Nangal Rajneesh Chaudhary told The Times of India, “The assailants wearing helmets and masks, fled the scene after fatally shooting Vikas Prabhakar.”
The cops are now analysing the CCTV footage to ascertain the identity of the assailants. A First Information Report (FIR) was registered for murder and common intention in connection to the case.
