Senior RSS leader Jagdish Gagneja shot at, Centre sends medical team
Jalandhar: The condition of senior RSS leader Brig (retd) Jagdish Gagneja, who was shot at by some bike-borne assailants, was critical on Sunday with a specialist team being rushed by the Centre for his treatment.
Police, meanwhile, have found the number of the motorcycle used by the assailants from the CCTV footage of Jyoti Chowk area in Jalandhar where the incident took place on Saturday. They are confident of nabbing the assailants soon.
Doctors at a private hospital in Jalandar conducted a surgery to remove two bullets from Gagneja's stomach. However, a third bullet is still lodged in his body.
"Sah-sarsanghchalak of RSS's Punjab unit Jagdish Gagneja was operated till 2 am in a private hospital in Jalandhar, after bullets hit his stomach, injuring him critically.
"While two bullets have been removed from his stomach, one is still trapped in his body around the liver," senior BJP leader and local MLA Manoranjan Kalia said.
He said a 'critical care team' is expected to reach Jalandhar on Sunday after he spoke to Health Minister JP Nadda.
"I have spoken to Union Health Minister JP Nadda and asked him to send a 'critical care team' to ensure better and proper treatment of Gagneja. Nadda has instructed Dr Yogesh Chawla, director PGI, Chandigarh and the team is expected to arrive here today," Kalia said.
He said a team under the leadership of Dr Jaspal from DMC Ludhiana, reached late last night on the orders of the Chief Minister and the operation was conducted under their guidance.
His condition is stated to be critical.
Police is looking into the CCTV footage to get some leads on the perpetrators.
"We are examining the CCTV footage at the spot and have found the number of the motorcycle. Two bike-borne assailants, aged around 20, were riding the bike and had covered their faces with a handkerchief. Their heads were covered with black and yellow 'patka' (a headwrap worn traditionally by Sikh boys), Jalandhar Police Commissioner Arpit Shukla said.
Gagneja and his wife had gone shopping to the market when some bike-borne assailants opened fire at him on Saturday, injuring him critically.