Nirmal Kumar
The North News
Barnala, March 25
A salon owner was seriously injured after a group of armed men stormed a shop near the bus stand in Barnala in broad daylight, police said. The attackers, reportedly carrying sharp-edged weapons including kirpans and swords, vandalised the salon and assaulted the owner before fleeing. The injured man was taken to the emergency ward of the government hospital in Barnala, where he is being treated.
The CCTV footage shows several men brandishing naked swords and creating panic in the area. Locals said the group appeared to target a neighbouring salon but attacked the adjacent shop after finding their intended premises shut. According to nearby shopkeepers, the violence may have been linked to an argument the previous day. They said a woman travelling on a scooter with her mother had a minor collision with some men, leading to a verbal altercation. On Wednesday, the group allegedly returned to attack the salon they believed was connected to the dispute.
Residents and traders condemned the attack and questioned the law-and-order situation, saying such incidents were becoming increasingly common. They urged the administration to take strict action against those responsible.
Barnala Deputy Superintendent of Police Satbir Singh said officers received information that a shop had been vandalised and one person injured in the assault.
He said the victim was undergoing treatment at the government hospital and that police were investigating the case from all angles. He added that efforts were under way to identify and arrest the attackers at the earliest.
