PunjabENews

Category: Crime

  • Moga village sarpanch Happy shot dead in daylight attack

    Moga village sarpanch Happy shot dead in daylight attack

    Chandigarh: A village sarpanch was shot dead in a daylight attack in Bagha Purana town of Moga district on Friday.

    According to police, the victim, identified as Happy, was on his way to the gym in his Thar vehicle when five attackers arrived in a Fortuner and opened fire. The assailants allegedly fired around 10–12 rounds, with at least eight bullets hitting the sarpanch.

    Happy was critically injured in the attack and was rushed to the Civil Hospital, where he later died during treatment.

    Senior police officials reached the scene after receiving information about the incident. Moga Senior Superintendent of Police Ajay Gandhi inspected the spot and directed police teams to begin an investigation.

    Police have set up checkpoints in the area and launched a search operation to track down the suspects. Authorities said the attackers have been identified and several leads have been obtained. The vehicle used in the crime is also being traced.

    According to officials, Happy had won the sarpanch election as an independent candidate and later extended support to the Indian National Congress.

    The SSP said the initial investigation suggests the killing was linked to personal rivalry, adding that police are examining all angles related to the case.

  • Juvenile Among Six Held in Amritsar with Five Pistols Linked to Cross-Border Arms Smuggling Module

    Juvenile Among Six Held in Amritsar with Five Pistols Linked to Cross-Border Arms Smuggling Module

    Amritsar News: In a major breakthrough amidst the ongoing drive to make Punjab a safe and secure as per directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Amritsar Commissionerate Police has busted a cross-border illegal arms smuggling module with the arrest of six individuals including one juvenile, and recovered five sophisticated pistols and a sharp edged weapon from their possession, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Friday.

    Those arrested have been identified as Rohit Kumar (18), a resident of Maqboolpura in Amritsar; Karanbir Singh alias Ajay (24), a resident of village Kale in Tarn Taran; Jashandeep Singh alias Giani (18), Onkar Singh alias Vansh (21) and Akashdeep Singh (24), trio residents of village Marri Megha in Tarn Taran; and 16-years-old juvenile. The recovered weapons include one .30 Bore, one 9MM Glock, one .30 bore PX5, one 9MM Taurus and one 9MM Gretta (Made in Pakistan) along with 34 live cartridges.

    DGP Gaurav Yadav said that preliminary investigation has revealed that the arrested accused were in contact with Pakistan-based arms smugglers through social media and receiving weapon consignments from across the borders via drones. Accused persons were coordinating arms consignments on the directions of their handlers and distributing them across different areas, he said.

    The DGP said that further investigation is underway to establish forward and backward linkages in this case to dismantle the entire network.

    Sharing operational details, Commissioner of Police (CP) Amritsar Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said that acting swiftly during patrolling and checking of suspicious persons, police teams apprehended Rohit Kumar along with one juvenile and recovered one .30 bore pistol and a sharp edged weapon from their possession.

    During interrogation, arrested accused persons disclosed that the illegal weapon had been supplied to them by Karanbir alias Ajay, he said, while adding that acting on this information, police teams arrested him.

    The CP said that further investigation and interrogation of Karanbir alias Ajay led to the arrest of weapon suppliers identified as Onkar Singh alias Vansh, Akashdeep Singh and Jashandeep alias Giani and resulted in recovery of four more pistols. Further investigation is ongoing, he added.

    In this regard, a case FIR no. 59 dated 28-02-2026 has been registered under sections 25(6,7,8) of the Arms Act at Police Station Maqboolpura in Amritsar.

  • Moga shooting: village sarpanch seriously injured in daylight attack

    Moga shooting: village sarpanch seriously injured in daylight attack

    Chandigarh: A village sarpanch was seriously injured after unidentified attackers opened fire on him in broad daylight in Bagha Purana town of Moga district in Punjab.

    According to police, the injured has been identified as Happy, the current sarpanch of Dohadar village. He was rushed to a hospital after sustaining gunshot injuries and is currently undergoing treatment. Doctors have described his condition as critical.

    Preliminary information suggests the attack may be linked to an old rivalry. Witnesses said the assailants arrived in a Fortuner vehicle and suddenly fired multiple shots at the sarpanch before fleeing the scene.

    After receiving information, senior police officials reached the spot and began an investigation. The Moga Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) inspected the scene and directed police teams to trace the suspects.

    Police have set up checkpoints in the area and launched a search operation to track down the attackers. CCTV footage from nearby locations is also being examined to identify those involved.

    The incident has created panic in Bagha Purana and nearby areas. Police officials said efforts are underway to arrest the accused at the earliest.

  • Ludhiana Holi dispute turns deadly: two crushed by pickup after argument over loud music

    Ludhiana Holi dispute turns deadly: two crushed by pickup after argument over loud music

    Ludhiana: A dispute over loud music after Holi celebrations turned violent in Ludhiana’s Sahnewal area, leaving two people dead after they were allegedly run over by a pickup vehicle.

    The incident took place in Valmiki Mohalla, where an argument between neighbours escalated into a deadly clash. The deceased have been identified as Bhupinder Sahota alias Ritik (25) and Balwinder Kaur (62).

    According to police and family members, Bhupinder, who worked as an electrician, objected to loud music being played late at night from a vehicle parked in the street. His brother Rohit said the argument began when their neighbour Vishal allegedly started playing music at a high volume following Holi celebrations.

    When Bhupinder asked him to lower the volume, a heated argument broke out. The family alleged that Vishal then called several associates to the spot, after which the situation quickly turned violent.

    During the clash, the accused allegedly drove a pickup vehicle into Bhupinder. When 62-year-old Balwinder Kaur tried to intervene and save him, she was also run over by the vehicle. Both victims died on the spot.

    The incident created panic in the locality, and several vehicles parked in the area were also reportedly damaged during the clash. Police have launched an investigation and are working to identify and arrest those involved in the incident.

  • HC takes suo motu notice of Ranjit Singh encounter, seeks DGP reply in two weeks

    HC takes suo motu notice of Ranjit Singh encounter, seeks DGP reply in two weeks

    Chandigarh: The Punjab and Haryana High Court has taken suo motu notice of the police encounter in which Ranjit Singh, accused in the murder of two policemen at the Adiyan police post in Gurdaspur, was killed.

    Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav appeared before the court through video conferencing during the hearing. The court raised questions over the incident and said it could not “sit with closed eyes” in such a matter. The bench directed the DGP to submit a detailed response within two weeks. The next hearing has been scheduled for March 17.

    Meanwhile, the deceased’s mother, Sukhjinder Kaur, has filed a petition in the High Court seeking an independent investigation by a retired judge or the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The plea is expected to be heard separately. The family has also questioned the police version of the encounter and has not yet performed the last rites of the youth.

    According to officials, the case was listed for hearing in the afternoon and coincided with proceedings in another matter related to jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi.

    The incident dates back to February 22, when two policemen were shot dead at the Adiyan police check post near the India-Pakistan border in Gurdaspur district. The victims were ASI Gurnam Singh and Home Guard constable Ashok Kumar.

    Police claimed the attack was carried out at the behest of Pakistan’s intelligence agency and that the accused were allegedly offered money to carry out the killings. Nineteen-year-old Ranjit Singh, a resident of Adiyan village and the main accused in the case, was killed in a police encounter on February 25 in the Puranashala area.

    Police said he tried to escape from custody and opened fire, prompting officers to retaliate. Another accused, Dilawar Singh, was arrested while the third suspect, Inderjit Singh, was later detained from Amritsar.

    However, the encounter has sparked controversy, with Ranjit Singh’s family alleging it was a fake encounter. They claim the youth was picked up from his home and later killed by police. The family has also alleged that CCTV cameras from the area were removed and demanded a proper postmortem and impartial investigation.

  • Five masked robbers posing as Nihangs loot crores from jeweller’s house, family held hostage

    Five masked robbers posing as Nihangs loot crores from jeweller’s house, family held hostage

    Chandigarh: A major daylight robbery took place in Scheme No. 5 of the city’s Improvement Trust area in Gurdaspur, where five masked and armed robbers looted cash and jewellery worth crores from a jeweller’s house.

    According to the family, the accused arrived dressed as Nihang Sikhs and entered the house of jeweller Varun Saraf around 8:30 am after knocking on the gate. Once inside, the robbers broke the CCTV cameras and held the driver and family members hostage at gunpoint

    The attackers forced the family to hand over the keys of the locker and looted around ₹30–40 lakh in cash along with gold, silver and diamond jewellery worth crores. After committing the robbery, the accused fled the scene.

    Police reached the spot after receiving information and have launched an investigation into the incident. Authorities are also examining nearby CCTV footage to trace the suspects.

  • ‘Controversial’ Punjabi-origin YouTuber Nancy Grewal murdered in Canada

    ‘Controversial’ Punjabi-origin YouTuber Nancy Grewal murdered in Canada

    Ontario: Police in LaSalle have identified the woman killed in a stabbing incident as 45-year-old Nancy Grewal of Windsor.

    According to a report by the Windsor Star, LaSalle Police Service said in a social media statement that the department extends its deepest condolences to Grewal’s family and friends.

    Police added that investigators are treating the case as an isolated incident to reassure the public, but officials have not disclosed whether any suspect has been taken into custody.

    Woman found with serious stab wounds

    Emergency crews responded to a report of a stabbing shortly before 9:30 pm Tuesday in the 2400 block of Todd Lane in LaSalle. Officers and paramedics arrived to find a woman suffering from stab wounds.

    Members of Essex-Windsor Emergency Medical Services transported her to hospital, where she later died from her injuries.

    Multiple areas sealed for investigation

    On Wednesday morning, authorities cordoned off two homes on Todd Lane between Canada Street and Bishop Street. Several evidence markers were placed along a concrete walkway and steps leading to the front entrance of one of the homes.

    Police also secured a wooded area about one kilometre away along Todd Lane near walking trail entrances close to Herb Gray Parkway.

    The investigation remains ongoing as officers continue to collect evidence and determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.

  • Ranjit Singh cremation deferred after postmortem; family to decide final rites on Wednesday

    Ranjit Singh cremation deferred after postmortem; family to decide final rites on Wednesday

    Gurdaspur: The postmortem of 19-year-old Ranjit Singh, who was allegedly killed in a police encounter in connection with the double murder of two policemen at Adiyan police post, was conducted by a board of doctors under tight security at the Civil Hospital in Gurdaspur.

    The postmortem was carried out in the presence of Chief Judicial Magistrate Surekha Dadwal and was videographed as per court directions.

    Family alleges custodial killing

    Ranjit Singh’s family has maintained that he was not killed in an encounter but was shot dead. As per court orders, the medical board included two forensic experts from Government Medical College, Amritsar, and one doctor from Gurdaspur.

    Punjab Students Union leader Amar Kranti, who was present at the hospital, alleged that police fabricated the encounter story after Ranjit’s death during interrogation. He claimed CIA in-charge Gurmeet Singh, who was questioning Ranjit, is the prime suspect.

    All eyes are now on the postmortem report, expected in the coming days, which is likely to clarify whether the death was due to an encounter bullet injury or alleged custodial torture.

    Tension over last rites

    After the postmortem, police reportedly urged the family to perform the last rites. However, the family and a struggle committee objected, stating that late evening cremation was not feasible. They also said the deceased’s father is currently lodged in jail in Dubai in connection with an accident case.

    Members of the struggle committee staged a sit-in outside the hospital. Following talks with police, it was agreed that the body would be taken from the hospital on Wednesday morning, and the family would decide on the cremation after consultations.

    An 11-member struggle committee formed in the case said a final decision on the last rites would be taken after internal discussions.

    Court orders preservation of call, GPS records

    A day earlier, acting on a complaint filed by Ranjit’s mother Sukhjinder Kaur, the court had ordered preservation of call detail records (CDRs) and GPS data of police officials linked to the case. It also directed that any CCTV footage from the vicinity of the incident be secured as part of the investigation.

    The court further ordered a medical examination of CIA in-charge Gurmeet Singh, who was shown injured during the encounter. The SMO, Gurdaspur, has been directed to constitute a three-member medical board and submit a detailed report to the area magistrate, clarifying whether the bullet injury on his arm was self-inflicted or caused otherwise.

    The investigation remains underway.

  • 13-year-old shot dead at birthday party in Lucknow; three minors detained

    13-year-old shot dead at birthday party in Lucknow; three minors detained

    Lucknow: A 13-year-old boy died after a gun allegedly went off during a birthday party in the Krishna Nagar area of Lucknow, police said on Tuesday.

    The incident took place around 6:40 pm on Monday at a residence in an LDA colony under the jurisdiction of the Krishna Nagar Police Station.

    The victim, Unaes Khan, had gone to attend a friend’s birthday party along with three other minors. During the celebrations, the birthday boy, identified as 13-year-old Navneet Tripathi, allegedly took out his father’s licensed revolver from a car parked outside. The weapon reportedly discharged, and the bullet struck Unaes above his left eye. He collapsed on the spot and was rushed to Lokbandhu Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

    The family has alleged that the firing was not accidental and claimed that an adult may have shot the child.

    Deputy Commissioner of Police (Lucknow South) Nipun Agarwal said three minors present at the party have been detained for questioning. “On March 2, information was received at Krishna Nagar police station that a 13-year-old boy from Transport Nagar died after an accidental firing during a birthday party. Based on the complaint filed by the family, a case is being registered and further legal action is being taken,” he said.

    Police said the licensed weapon has been seized and CCTV footage from the area is being examined. According to investigators, the revolver went off while the boy was allegedly making a video with the firearm.

    Unaes, a Class VII student of Stella Maris School, was the captain of his school’s football team. He is survived by his mother, Sama Sehroz, and an elder brother.

    His father, Zameer Khan, said the boy had been observing roza and was initially reluctant to attend the party, but friends persuaded him. “We received a call that firing had taken place at the party,” he said, alleging that the shot was not accidental and that his son was shot in the forehead.

    The investigation is underway to determine the exact sequence of events.

  • Gurdaspur encounter accused Ranjit Singh’s postmortem ordered by court amid tight security

    Gurdaspur encounter accused Ranjit Singh’s postmortem ordered by court amid tight security

    Gurdaspur: The postmortem of Ranjit Singh, who was killed in a police encounter in the ASI–Home Guard double murder case, is being conducted on court directions.

    The Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) court disposed of a petition filed by Ranjit Singh’s mother and ordered the postmortem. Family members have agreed to comply with the court’s directions.

    The deceased’s uncle, Harvinder Singh Malli, said the family has reached the Civil Hospital for the postmortem as per the court’s order. A team of doctors and lawyers is present at the hospital. However, family members have demanded that they be allowed to see Ranjit Singh’s body before the postmortem is conducted.

    Heavy police deployment has been made outside the hospital. SP (Headquarters) Yuvraj Singh also reached the spot to oversee security arrangements.

    Background of the case

    On February 22, the bodies of ASI Gurnam Singh and Home Guard jawan Ashok Kumar were found at the Adiyan police post, located barely 1.5 km from the India–Pakistan International Border.

    On February 25, after his arrest, Ranjit Singh was being taken by police for recovery of a weapon when he allegedly escaped following an accident involving the SHO’s vehicle. Later, a CIA team cornered him in the Purana Shala area, where he was killed in an encounter. CIA in-charge Inspector Gurmeet Singh and four other police personnel were injured during the operation.