PHAGWARA: Panic gripped Gandwa village near Phagwara on Wednesday night after a young man riding a scooter was brutally gunned down in broad daylight by three unidentified assailants. The murder, which appears to have been a planned attack, has sent shockwaves through the local community and raised serious questions about law and order in the region.Ongoing rivalary between two gangsters group was said to be the cause of murder.
Navjot
The victim has been identified as Navjot Kumar, a resident of Gandwa village near Phagwara. According to sources, Navjot was recently released on bail in a murder case, and was traveling on his Activa scooter when three attackers, riding a motorcycle, intercepted him on the village road. Without warning, they opened fire at close range, shooting multiple rounds into him before fleeing the scene.Navjot was brought to civil hospital in a pool of blood but the doctors declared him brought dead.
Eyewitnesses say the attack was swift and targeted. “They stopped him mid-road, fired at least three to four shots, and disappeared within seconds, ” said a local resident who witnessed the horrifying incident. The young man collapsed on the road as villagers rushed to the spot, only to find him already dead.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Gaurav Toora, who visited the scene shortly after the incident, confirmed that the murder appeared to be a targeted killing, likely linked to previous enmity or gang rivalry. “Navjot Kumar was recently out on bail in a murder case, and initial investigation suggests this could be an act of retaliation, ” SSP Toora stated. Phagwara SP Rupinder Kaur Bhatti said The Police have registered a case under section 302, 34IPC and arms act.
He added that the police have taken the body into custody and sent it to the civil hospital mortuary in Phagwara for postmortem examination. A forensic team was also called in to collect evidence from the crime scene. Police are currently examining CCTV footage from nearby areas and are speaking to witnesses to trace the route of the attackers.
The incident has left the villagers in fear and anger. Locals expressed frustration over what they called inadequate security measures, especially for individuals who are known to have been involved in serious criminal cases. Some residents criticized the authorities for not monitoring individuals out on bail more closely, given the potential for revenge attacks.