Punjab ASI Shot Dead in Amritsar; BJP, Congress Attack AAP on Law and Order
ASI Harjit Singh was shot dead by two men on a bike in Amritsar. The DGP said a .30 bore pistol was used. BJP and Congress blamed the AAP government.
An assistant sub-inspector of the Punjab Police was chased and shot dead by two unidentified men on a motorcycle in Amritsar, an attack that has reignited a political row over law and order in the poll-bound state.
Harjit Singh, a resident of Tarn Taran district, was on PCR duty when he was shot from point-blank range around midnight in the Bhagtanwala grain market, officials said.
Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav, who inspected the crime scene on Friday morning, said the officer was shadowed by the assailants on a two-wheeler and that the shooting was carried out at close range with a .30 bore pistol.
A single bullet struck him from behind, slightly towards the back of the neck, the DGP said, adding that the exact cause of death would be confirmed after a post-mortem. An empty .30 bore cartridge case was recovered from the spot and sent for forensic examination, and blood spots were found at the scene.
Yadav said a detailed technical investigation is under way, with police scanning CCTV footage from the area.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann condoled the officer's death and announced a compensation of Rs 1 crore for his family. In a post on X, he said Singh's courage and dedication to duty would always be remembered and that the state government stood with the bereaved family in its hour of grief. The Aam Aadmi Party leader added that the officer's sacrifice would inspire others to perform their duties with bravery and honesty.
The killing came days after a similar attack on September 11, when an assistant sub-inspector, Jaswant Singh, was fired upon by two motorcycle-borne men while he was returning from duty in Amritsar. A bullet grazed his head, causing a minor injury, and he is recovering.
BJP, Congress Target AAP
The BJP and the Congress seized on the incident to target the ruling AAP over law and order in Punjab.
BJP leader Tarun Chugh said in a video statement that law and order had collapsed under Bhagwant Mann's government. The Rajya Sabha MP argued that when police stations and police personnel themselves are not safe, no functioning administration remains on the ground.
Congress leader Manish Tiwari said the incident showed that the law and order situation in Punjab was not normal and called for stronger measures by both the Centre and the state government. Noting that Punjab is a border state, he pointed to interference from external forces, particularly neighbouring Pakistan, and said drugs and weapons also arrive through drones.