- Gurpreet Singh Gopi, Congress councillor, was shot dead in Mamdot town, Punjab
- Attackers chased Gopi's motorcycle and opened fire, killing him on the spot
- An old dispute, possibly election-related, is a key angle in the investigation
Gurpreet Singh Gopi, a Congress municipal councillor, was shot dead after armed assailants allegedly chased the motorcycle on which he was travelling and opened fire in Mamdot town of Punjab, police said on Saturday.
Gurpreet Gopi and a man identified as Harpreet were riding a motorcycle when the attackers, who were travelling in a car, chased them and opened fire, said Bhupinder Singh Sidhu, senior superintendent of police. Gopi was killed in the firing.
The SSP said an old dispute was behind the attack, with an election-related dispute emerging as a key angle in the investigation.
How It Happened
Gopi and Harpreet were travelling on a motorcycle while some of their friends were following them in a separate car. Police said the attackers opened fire at that car too.
Investigators are examining the circumstances surrounding the firing on the vehicle and are trying to establish the complete sequence of events.
"The two parties had an old dispute. The attackers have been identified and our teams have been formed. We will arrest them as soon as possible," SSP Bhupinder Singh Sidhu said. He added that the main accused has a criminal background and is known to be a person involved in unlawful activities.
Multiple teams have been formed, and raids are being conducted at various locations as the investigation continues.
The incident has raised fresh concerns over law and order in Punjab. The alleged election dispute behind the attack is also likely to bring the issue into the political spotlight.
