Punjab authorities are alarmed by a surge in international extortion calls targeting businessmen in Ludhiana and Jagraon. In one case, a shopkeeper narrowly escaped a shooting on July 5, followed by a ₹50 lakh ransom demand from a U.S.-based number. Another businessman received threats from a Malaysian number. Investigators suspect encrypted communication by either foreign gangs or local handlers. Cybercrime units are now tracing call origins, while no arrests have yet been made. This incident marks a worrying shift in how global criminal networks operate via digital channels.