AAP sarpanch’s son shot dead outside gurdwara near Amritsar

Amritsar: In the second public murder in Punjab in 24 hours, the son of an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) sarpanch was shot dead and his friend injured outside a gurdwara near Amritsar on Monday evening.The shooting took place in Cheete Kalan village in Chatiwind on the outskirts of Amritsar. The deceased, Teerath Singh, was returning after paying obeisance at the gurdwara along with his friend Ranjit Singh when the gunmen opened fire, sparking panic in the area.The attackers fled as both friends collapsed on the roadside. Passersby took them to hospital where Teerath was declared dead. Ranjit is being treated for a bullet injury, and is out of danger, said Attari DSP Yadwinder Singh on Tuesday.Police sources said Teerath’s family suspects the involvement of a rival group from the village. Teerath’s brother Karaj Singh had also won the sarpanch election on an AAP ticket while their mother is the sarpanch.The DSP ruled out any political rivalry and said preliminary investigations suggest that the murder was triggered by an old animosity over a land dispute. Police have registered an FIR naming four suspects — Gurditt Singh, Gurjant Singh, Harkirat Singh alias Hockey, and Gora. No one had been arrested till Tuesday evening. Yadwinder said multiple teams are working on the case.The Cheete Kalan murder stunned the state as it was grappling with a double murder in Moga on Sunday evening.The latest killing triggered another round of political attacks on AAP govt, with former Union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu questioning its ability to maintain law and order in Punjab. In an X post he said, “The murder of Teerath Singh, brother of an incumbent AAP sarpanch, outside a gurdwara in Amritsar is a stark indictment of Punjab’s collapsed law and order. Not a single day passes without the state being shaken by gunfire. When even the ruling party’s own representatives and their families are not safe, the security of ordinary citizens is left in God’s hands. Bhagwant Mann must be held accountable for this spiralling violence. Either enforce the writ of the state and ensure people’s safety, or resign. Punjab cannot be expected to keep picking up bodies day after day.”You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Chandigarh | Silver Rate in Chandigarh | Bank Holidays in Chandigarh | Public Holidays in Chandigarh | Chandigarh AQI | Weather in Chandigarh | Petrol Price in Chandigarh | Diesel Price in Chandigarh | CNG Price in Chandigarh | LPG Price in ChandigarhStay updated with the latest Chandigarh news. Download the TOI App.