The horrifying incident in Abohar, Punjab, where two men were attacked and their limbs chopped off at the farmhouse of a Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader – leading to death of one of the victims – highlights the deteriorating law and order situation in that state. Shiv Lal Doda – the owner of the farmhouse where the attack took place – was appointed SAD’s constituency in-charge after he unsuccessfully contested the 2012 polls as an independent. Although an FIR filed in the case names 16 people, including Doda and his nephew Amit, so far only one person has been arrested by Punjab Police.

This has led to allegations of the administration shielding Doda due to his political connections. This isn’t the first time that Punjab Police has been accused of behaving like an arm of the ruling Akalis. In another recent incident in Muktsar district, where a 14-year-old schoolgirl was crushed to death by a speeding bus reportedly belonging to another Akali leader, the police dragged away the girl’s body and cracked down on protesters. Add to this the state’s chronic drugs problem and Punjab is fast resembling Bihar’s erstwhile jungle raj.

The Akalis can’t escape blame for this state of affairs. There’s widespread perception that the Badals’ business interests have seen them subvert due process and indulge in monopolistic practices. This in turn has led to cronyism, misgovernance and scams. As it is, Punjab being a border state with Pakistan has special security challenges. If the police in the state fails to carry out its duty in a professional manner due to political interference, it can lead to disastrous consequences – the recent Sarbat Khalsa by radical Sikh groups is a case in point. For the Akalis, not acting swiftly in cases such as Abohar reinforces growing anti-incumbent sentiment ahead of the 2017 assembly polls.