Jalandhar, June 22, 2025 (Yes Punjab News):
In a shocking incident that has rattled the administrative circles of Punjab, senior IAS officer Babita Kaler, her husband Stephen Kaler, and her official gunman Sukhkaran Singh have been booked by the Jalandhar Commissionerate Police on charges of attempt to murder. The gunman was arrested after he allegedly opened fire on Harpreet Singh, a manager of a business house, following a dispute near the officer’s residence.
The incident occurred on Saturday in the upscale Chhoti Baradari locality of Jalandhar, where the IAS officer and her husband reside with their family. According to the FIR filed based on the injured manager’s statement, the gunman acted on the alleged instructions of the officer and her husband.
The altercation began when construction work commenced on a plot adjacent to the Kalers’ residence. The plot belongs to prominent businessman Sulakhan Singh Kang, owner of Prabal Saria, who had begun levelling the land for construction purposes. When a truck arrived to unload earth on the site, Kalers reportedly objected, prompting the driver to call manager Harpreet Singh to resolve the issue.
Upon his arrival, Harpreet Singh even called Kang who spoke to Stephen Kaler that it was his plot and he was getting the things done rightfully. However, the gunman, part of the IAS officer’s security detail, fired a round that struck Harpreet Singh in both legs. He was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital where he is currently in stable condition.
Senior police officials visited the scene and launched an inquiry into the incident. The FIR names all three individuals—Babita Kaler, Stephen Kaler, and gunman Sukhkaran Singh. While the gunman has been arrested, the IAS officer and her husband are yet to be taken into custody.
Stephen Kaler has since issued a statement claiming that the security personnel acted in self-defence. Investigations are ongoing.
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