Chandigarh/Jalandhar, Aug 7 (IANS): Senior Punjab RSS leader Brig (retd) Jagdish Gagneja, who was shot at in Jalandhar, continued to be in critical condition and was shifted to a Ludhiana hospital on Sunday afternoon.

Gagneja was shot thrice near the busy Jyoti Chowk in Jalandhar city, about 150 km from Chandigarh, on Saturday evening.

The senior Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) leader was shifted to the Hero Heart DMC Hospital in Ludhiana under heavy security. He was earlier admitted in a private hospital in Jalandhar after the shooting.

Tight security arrangements were in place in and around the hospitals in Jalandhar and Ludhiana.

Doctors said two bullets were removed from his body early on Sunday while a third bullet was lodged near his liver.

The Punjab Police earlier set up a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the attack on the former senior army officer by unidentified gunmen.

The right-wing leader was shot at by two masked assailants as he got out of his car he was travelling in with his wife.

The assailants fled the spot after firing at Ganneja. They also fired in the air to scare onlookers.

Condemning the attack, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal directed the police to track the attackers. He said the attack was aimed at disturbing the communal harmony in the state.

The police is strengthening security around offices of right-wing organisations in Punjab. Some leaders of the RSS and Shiv Sena have already been provided security.

Shiv Sena leader Durga Prasad Gupta was shot dead in Punjab's Khanna town, 75 km from here, in April. Gupta, who was provided police security, was alone when the attack occurred.

In another incident earlier this year, unidentified persons fired shots at RSS activists in Ludhiana city.

Shiv Sena leader Harinder Soni was shot at by unidentified assailants in Gurdaspur town in April last year.