Chandigarh:
An assistant sub-inspector of Punjab Police was chased and shot dead by two unidentified men on a bike in Amritsar on Friday.
Harjit Singh, a resident of Tarn Taran district, was on PCR duty when he was shot from point-blank range by the two men around midnight in the Bhagtanwala grain market.
“He was shadowed by assailants on a two-wheeler, and the shooting was carried out at close range using a .30 bore pistol,” Punjab’s Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav told reporters after inspecting the crime scene this morning.
“A single bullet struck him from behind, slightly towards the back of the neck,” he said, adding that the exact cause of death will be determined after the post-mortem.
He also said the police have recovered a .30 bore empty cartridge case from the spot, which has been sent for forensic analysis.
“There were blood spots found at the scene,” he said.
Yadav said a thorough technical investigation is underway, with the police scanning CCTV footage in the area.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann condoled the death and announced a compensation of Rs 1 crore for Singh’s family.
“His immense courage and dedication to duty will always be remembered. The Punjab Government stands like a rock with the martyr’s family in this hour of grief,” he posted on X.
ਜ਼ਿਲ੍ਹਾ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤਸਰ ਵਿਖੇ ਆਪਣੀ ਡਿਊਟੀ ਨਿਭਾਉਂਦੇ ਹੋਏ ਸ਼ਹਾਦਤ ਦਾ ਜਾਮ ਪੀਣ ਵਾਲੇ ਸਹਾਇਕ ਥਾਣੇਦਾਰ ਹਰਜੀਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਜੀ ਦੀ ਬਹਾਦਰੀ ਨੂੰ ਦਿਲੋਂ ਸਲਾਮ… ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦੀ ਅਥਾਹ ਹਿੰਮਤ ਅਤੇ ਡਿਊਟੀ ਪ੍ਰਤੀ ਸਮਰਪਣ ਨੂੰ ਹਮੇਸ਼ਾ ਯਾਦ ਰੱਖਿਆ ਜਾਵੇਗਾ…
ਪੰਜਾਬ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਦੁੱਖ ਦੀ ਇਸ ਘੜੀ ਵਿੱਚ ਸ਼ਹੀਦ ਦੇ ਪਰਿਵਾਰ ਨਾਲ ਚੱਟਾਨ ਵਾਂਗ ਖੜ੍ਹੀ ਹੈ…… pic.twitter.com/C7PffbK1dS— Bhagwant Mann (@BhagwantMann) September 18, 2026
“This great sacrifice of his will continue to inspire all of us to perform our duty with full bravery and honesty,” the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader added.
The killing followed a similar incident on September 11, when an assistant sub-inspector, Jaswant Singh, was attacked by two motorcycle-borne men while he was returning after duty in Amritsar. The assailants opened fire, and a bullet grazed his head, causing a minor injury. He is currently recovering.
BJP, Congress Target AAP
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress targeted the ruling AAP over law and order in poll-bound Punjab.
“Bhagwant Mann’s rule has seen the complete demise of law and order on Punjab’s soil,” BJP’s Tarun Chugh said in a video statement.
“When the police stations and police personnel themselves are not safe, it’s clear that there’s no trace left of anything called administration on the ground,” the Rajya Sabha MP added.
‘गुरु-दोखी’ @BhagwantMann के राज में पंजाब की धरती पर कानून-व्यवस्था का जनाजा पूरी तरह निकल चुका है!
अमृतसर में ड्यूटी के दौरान ASI हरजीत सिंह की सरेआम गोली मारकर हत्या बेहद दुखद और कष्टदायक है।
यह घटना सीधे तौर पर देश के सीमावर्ती राज्य की सुरक्षा और कानून की हनक की सरेआम… pic.twitter.com/KuRdf5Flrd
— Tarun Chugh (@tarunchughbjp) September 18, 2026
Congress’ Manish Tiwari said the incident showed that the law and order in Punjab was “not normal” and called for stronger measures by both the Centre and the state government.
“It clearly shows that the law and order situation is not normal. Punjab is a border state, and there is interference from external forces, particularly our neighbouring country Pakistan. Drugs and weapons also come through drones,” Tiwari said.
