Chandigarh, March 22 (NationPress) The relatives of Gagandeep Singh Randhawa, the District Manager of Punjab State Warehousing Corporation, who reportedly took his own life in Amritsar, are demanding immediate legal action and the detention of former state minister Laljit Singh Bhullar. They assert that persistent harassment led the officer to this tragic decision.

In a press interaction, Varinder Singh Randhawa, the deceased's brother, stated that the family is unwavering in their pursuit of justice.

“We stand united and will not relent. This is our family's collective decision after thorough discussions,” he remarked, emphasizing that simply filing a case would not suffice.

Varinder criticized the state government, arguing that ethical officers are being cornered despite promises of progress and job creation in Punjab.

“There were grand assurances of attracting investment and generating employment in Punjab, yet officers are being driven to despair. Your ministers have adopted bully tactics. You once claimed that overseas talent would return to create jobs here, and urged Punjabis not to send their children abroad. But what about those who earn their positions through hard work? They are subjected to undue pressure,” he expressed.

Directly addressing Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, he asserted that the arrest of the accused would reflect the government's commitment to justice.

“An FIR has been filed, yet Laljit Singh Bhullar remains at large. His arrest would signify that you genuinely care for Punjab and its people,” he added.

The family also mentioned that Gagandeep faced considerable stress regarding warehousing tenders and endured continuous harassment from the former minister and his associates. Relatives claimed he was pressured to favor specific bidders associated with Bhullar’s family, which he resisted.

Furthermore, they alleged that he was summoned to Bhullar’s residence earlier this month, where he was purportedly humiliated and assaulted, resulting in significant mental distress.

On Saturday, Gagandeep Randhawa reportedly ingested a toxic substance at his home in Amritsar. Before his passing, he recorded a short video on his phone stating he consumed poison due to fear of Bhullar. The footage later emerged on social media, igniting significant political turmoil.

In the aftermath, Bhullar resigned from his ministerial position, and an FIR was lodged against him, his father Sukhdev Singh Bhullar, and another associate under suicide abetment laws at the Ranjit Avenue police station in Amritsar.

The grieving family had earlier refused to perform the last rites until a case was filed against the ex-minister and demanded a thorough and transparent investigation into the events leading to Gagandeep’s demise.

Meanwhile, opposition members from Shiromani Akali Dal, Congress, and the Bharatiya Janata Party convened at the Punjab MLAs' hostel in Chandigarh, planning a protest march towards Chief Minister Mann's residence, insisting on Bhullar's arrest and a transparent investigation.

This incident has sparked a significant political controversy in Punjab, with opposition parties accusing the AAP-led government of failing to shield officials from alleged political pressures, while the state government has initiated an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Randhawa’s death.