PHAGWARA: Panic swept through Phagwara’s Hadiabad locality late Wednesday night after a young man was shot dead following what witnesses described as a brief and trivial argument. The incident comes barely a week after a separate firing at the residence of AAP leader Daljit Raju in nearby village Darvesh, intensifying public fear over escalating gun violence in the region.
The victim has been identified as Avinash, also known as Golu (30) resident of Hadiyabad. According to his brother, Karan, Avinash had been sitting with acquaintances at the local community spot, commonly known as the Jhanjghar, when a minor altercation broke out among them. Moments later, a group of three youths arrived in a Creta car—described by locals as black by some and white by others—and became involved in the argument.
In the heat of the verbal exchange, one of the youths allegedly opened fire at close range. Avinash collapsed instantly. Before bystanders could react, the assailants fled from the scene in their vehicle, reportedly heading toward the Shahkot side.
Family members, shaken by the sudden violence, said they could not understand how an insignificant disagreement escalated so quickly into a fatal attack. Karan said the firing happened so suddenly that no one realized what had occurred until his brother was already lying on the ground. Avinash father of one kid was working as a drummer (dholi) was rushed to the Civil Hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.
Police teams, led by the DSP Phagwara Bharat Bhushan and other officials from Satnampura police station, reached the site and initiated an investigation. The body has been kept in the hospital mortuary for post-mortem examination. Police officials said the precise motive behind the firing remains unclear.
SP Phagwara Madhvi Sharma confirmed that a case has been registered and that multiple teams are using “ultra-modern techniques” to trace the accused. SSP Gaurav Toora assured the public that strict action will be taken and that no one involved in the crime will be spared.