VIDEO: Police investigate alleged assault on Brampton radio host
Published February 24, 2022 at 12:13 pm
Peel Regional Police are investigating an alleged assault on a Brampton radio host caught on camera, with users on social media claiming the attack was retaliation for speaking out about Indian politics.
Posts on Twitter began circulating on Wednesday claiming Deepak Punj, host for Frontline Radio, had been assaulted in what users called a “gun attack” in his Brampton studio.
A video posted online reportedly captured the incident.
And while no weapons are seen in the short clip, police say they were called to the area of Queen Street East and Rutherford Road North around 12:45 p.m. on Wednesday.
Pro-Modi radio host Deepak Punj from Toronto attacked in his office today by unknown people. He faced heat before as well due to his support to Modi during #FarmerProtest. pic.twitter.com/ovVeVlk8eM
— Gurpreet S. Sahota (@GurpreetSSahota) February 24, 2022
A police spokesperson said three suspects fled the scene in a vehicle, and a firearm was reportedly seen during the incident.
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The victim suffered minor injuries but did not require treatment in hospital, police said.
Just one day before the incident, Punj – who has been described as a “pro-Modi radio host” – had criticised the display of Khalistan flags and anti-India slogans during a candlelight vigil in Brampton on Sunday.
The vigil was held for Indian activist, actor and critic of farm laws in India Deep Sidhu, who died in a car crash in India earlier this month, according to the Hindustan Times.
Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown faced criticism online for attending the Sidhu vigil on Sunday after he was photographed standing in front of a banner with the hashtag #IndiaKills.
India has reportedly expressed “serious concern” to Ottawa over Brown’s appearance at the event, but Brown told reporters on Wednesday that his attendance “wasn’t a statement of support for any of the flags.”
“As mayor of Brampton, when there’s vigils at city hall I attend,” Brown said at a press conference.
“Obviously there was a lot of pain amongst our Sikh family and in Brampton with the passing of Deep Sidhu. I went to the vigil to share condolences – It wasn’t a statement of support for any of the flags that may have been in attendance.”
The event was reportedly organised by Brampton City Coun. Harkirat Singh, who in a Tweet on Wednesday called on police to investigate the alleged assault on Punj.
“I’m asking Peel Police to investigate this incident immediately,” Singh said on Twitter. “Those responsible need to be brought to justice.”
Police have not released a description of the suspects or the suspect vehicle.
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