A 30-year-old man, identified as Manjinder Singh, was shot dead by unidentified motorcycle-borne assailants at Jabbowal village under the Tarsikka police station limits on Friday night.
The victim, who ran an agriculture store, was returning home on his motorcycle when the attack took place. The police have obtained some CCTV footage of the suspects, but it has proved inconclusive due to poor visibility in the area. He is survived by his wife and a seven-month-old child. The cold-blooded murder sent shock waves through Jabbowal village.
Manjit Singh, Station House Officer (SHO), Tarsikka police station, said efforts were underway to identify and arrest the accused. He added that a case had been registered on the statement of the victim’s father, Avtar Singh.
According to preliminary information, the assailants fired around eight shots at Manjinder, four of which struck him in the back, leaving him critically injured. Residents rushed to the spot after hearing gunfire and found him lying on the roadside. His family was informed immediately and he was rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.
The SHO said that after closing his shop, Manjinder was returning home on his motorcycle. As he turned onto the road leading to his house, two motorcycle-borne assailants intercepted him. Before he could react, they allegedly opened indiscriminate fire and fled the scene.
The body was kept in the mortuary for a post-mortem as the family awaited the arrival of his elder brother, Gurjinder Singh, who lives in Australia.
Although the victim’s family has denied receiving any threats or having any known enmity with anyone, the police are investigating the case from multiple angles.
“We are analysing CCTV footage to gather clues about the perpetrators. The police are also exploring different possibilities, including personal enmity and an extortion-related motive,” said DSP Baljit Singh Hundal.
