JALANDHAR, June 24 — Minutes after an extortion call, unidentified gunmen opened fire late Monday night at the residence of an elderly NRI couple in Aman Nagar, Jalandhar, triggering panic but causing no injuries.
Commissioner of Police Dhanpreet Kaur Randhawa said that the couple’s four sons, all settled in Portugal, had recently received extortion threats from Pakistan-based gangster Shahzad Bhatti and his associates.
“Five minutes after the family received a threatening phone call from someone identifying himself as Bhatti, multiple gunshots were fired at their residence,” Randhawa said. “Fortunately, no one was harmed. We found bullet marks on the gate and walls of the house.”
Police have launched an investigation and are scanning CCTV footage from the area to identify the attackers.
Bhatti, an operative of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), has claimed responsibility for the attack through a video posted on social media. He is already wanted for two high-profile grenade attacks this year—one targeting Jalandhar-based YouTuber Rozer Sandhu in March and another at the residence of senior BJP leader Manoranjan Kalia in April.
The commissioner said preliminary findings suggest the shooting may be linked to a personal or financial dispute involving the family’s relatives in Portugal. “It appears the attack stemmed from an overseas conflict. The couple here in Jalandhar seems to have no direct connection with Bhatti,” Randhawa added.
According to police, the call threatening the family came around 11 p.m. on Monday. Just minutes later, the house was fired upon. The elderly parents immediately alerted authorities.
A case has been registered under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code, including attempt to murder and extortion. Security in the area has been tightened, and police are working to trace the shooters and examine any international links involved.
