Marked by devastating floods, unrelenting agrarian unrest, political manoeuvrings and escalating concerns over law and order and drug abuse, year 2025 was turbulent for Punjab. From the destructive monsoon deluge to high-profile arrests and cultural losses, Punjab witnessed a series of events in 2025 which shaped public discourse and sparked policy debates.
The year began with a stark reminder of migration woes. In February, Punjabi youths were deported in batches from the United States, arriving handcuffed at the Amritsar airport after traversing the perilous "dunki route" for illegal entry.
Agrarian resistance curbed
March brought agrarian friction to the fore as the Punjab Police evicted farmers from Shambhu and Khanauri border points, reopening key highways after over a year of protests by farmers to press for better crop prices and legal guarantees for minimum support price (MSP). Hundreds were detained and temporary camps were bulldozed, intensifying farmer unions' ire against the state and Central governments.
The same month, a controversial incident saw the Punjab Police allegedly assault a serving Colonel and his son in Patiala over a parking dispute, sparking national outrage and calls for accountability.
Water dispute to fore
April escalated interstate tensions when Punjab refused to release additional water from the Bhakra dam to Haryana, citing the neighbouring state’s exhausted share. The dispute landed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, underscoring ongoing water scarcity issues amid Punjab's groundwater depletion crisis.
May was fraught with security issues and tragedy. Following the Pahalgam terror attack, Operation Sindoor struck terror targets in Pakistan and PoK, placing Punjab's border districts on high alert. A hooch tragedy in Amritsar claimed over 20 lives, exposing the illicit liquor menace.
Majithia in VB net
On the political front, veteran Akali leader Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa passed away at 89 and the Shiromani Akali Dal's Bikram Singh Majithia was arrested by the Vigilance Bureau in June in a Rs 540-crore drug money laundering case, which he labelled as political vendetta. In October, the CBI arrested Punjab Police DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar in a corruption case and uncovered Rs 7.5 crore in cash and luxury assets.
Worst floods in three decades
Monsoon woes dominated August and September with Punjab enduring its worst floods in three decades. Torrential rains swelled rivers, submerging nearly 2,000 villages and destroying thousands of acres of standing crops in several districts. Over 50 lives were lost with damages estimated at Rs 13,500 crore, including 30,000 homes destroyed. Farmers lost entire harvests, and many had to put up on rooftops amid drowned cattle and power outages. Prime Minister Modi announced Rs 1,600 crore in aid, but the AAP government criticised the Centre for inadequate relief, while the BJP blamed state mismanagement.
End of an era
Cultural losses compounded the despair with the passing away of Punjabi actor Jaswinder Bhalla, actor-singer Rajvir Jawanda and Bollywood icon Dharmendra. In July, the world's oldest marathon runner, Fauja Singh, died at 114 after being hit by an SUV in Jalandhar while he was crossing the road.
Law & order situation
The law and order situation deteriorated with rising extortion, gang violence and grenade attacks on police stations. The Punjab Police registered 2,756 NDPS cases, arresting 4,737 people and seizing over 600 kg of heroin, 48 kg of opium and other drugs in large quantities, besides Rs 3.14 crore in drug money. Over 30 encounters targeted terror-drug networks, dealing blows to Pakistan-backed threats.
AAP maintains dominance
Politically, the AAP strengthened its grip, winning Ludhiana West and Tarn Taran bypolls and dominating the local elections. The Congress faced internal strife and suspended Navjot Kaur Sidhu over corruption remarks. November saw student protests at Panjab University against Senate restructuring, forcing the Centre to withdraw the plan.
Farmer unrest was again witnessed in December with blockades and protests against the Electricity Amendment Bill 2025 and MGNREGA "dilution" via the VB G RAM G Act, which shifts 40 per cent funding burden to states. The Punjab Assembly convened a special session to oppose the Act and label it as a blow to rural labourers.
Also read: Resolution against VB-G RAM G Act tabled in Punjab Assembly
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