Daijiworld Media Network - Gurdaspur
Gurdaspur, Feb 25: Two personnel of the Punjab Police were shot dead inside a border outpost in Punjab’s Gurdaspur district in the early hours of Sunday in what investigators describe as a targeted attack with alleged links to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
Deputy Inspector General of Police (Border Range) Sandeep Goel said preliminary investigations indicate that the killings were carried out at the behest of ISI handlers based in Pakistan. According to police, the three accused allegedly committed the crime for a promised payment of Rs 20,000. One of them had reportedly received Rs 3,000 as an advance.
The incident occurred at the Dorangla police outpost in Adhian village, located around two kilometres from the international border in Gurdaspur district. The victims were identified as Assistant Sub-Inspector Gurnam Singh and Home Guard Ashok Kumar.
The matter came to light after the local sarpanch, Kamaljeet Singh, was alerted by the Dorangla Station House Officer that the two personnel were not responding to repeated phone calls. When he reached the outpost around 8.15 am, both men were found dead with bullet injuries. Police said the ASI was found seated on a chair with his hands in his pockets, while the home guard was lying on a cot.
Senior officers named three local youths — Ranjit Singh (19) and Inderjit Singh (21) of Adhian village, and Dilawar Singh (19) of nearby Alinangal — as accused in the case.
Dilawar Singh and Ranjit Singh were initially apprehended. During interrogation, Ranjit allegedly disclosed the location where he had hidden the weapon used in the crime. However, while being taken for recovery of the firearm, the police vehicle overturned near Galrhi village due to dense fog, allowing him to escape.
A red alert was sounded immediately and additional forces were deployed to prevent his escape towards the border. In the early hours of the following day, around 3 am, a police team attempted to intercept a motorcycle near Purana Shala on the Gurdaspur-Mukerian road. The rider allegedly opened fire while trying to flee. In the ensuing exchange, police retaliated and Ranjit Singh sustained fatal injuries. He later succumbed at a civil hospital. A police constable was injured in the encounter.
Inderjit Singh remains absconding and search operations are underway across the sensitive border belt.
The Dorangla sector has long been considered vulnerable due to cross-border smuggling of narcotics and arms, often dropped by drones from across the border. Security agencies have described the belt as sensitive given past incidents.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann condemned the killings and blamed Pakistan, stating that the neighbouring country was attempting to spread fear within the state police force.
Police are also examining social media posters circulated by a group calling itself Tehreek-e-Taliban Hindustan, which claimed responsibility for the attack. Officials said the authenticity of the claim is being verified.
With one accused dead, one in custody and another still on the run, investigators are now probing the full extent of the alleged cross-border network behind what officials termed an externally guided attack on Punjab’s law enforcement.