Film The Murder And Send Video: How Pakistan-Based Man Orchestrated Killing Of Punjab ASI Harjeet Singh

Amritsar: The Punjab police have gunned down the prime accused in the killing of Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Harjeet Singh during a late-night encounter in Amritsar. Addressing the media, Commissioner of Police (Amritsar) Harmanbir Singh Gill confirmed the elimination of one accused and said that the conspiracy was hatched by a handler operating from Pakistan. 

The police stated that a second accused who was accompanying him managed to slip away under the cover of darkness. The slain police officer, ASI Harjit Singh, was on routine patrol duty when he was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in the area falling under the Hakima police station.

Detailing the motive behind the targeted killing, CP Gill revealed that the entire operation was orchestrated from abroad. He stated that the man sitting in Pakistan had lured the local criminals with financial rewards and the promise of a foothold in the cross-border narcotics network. "It was the man from Pakistan, operating from abroad, who lured them in; he promised them money and pledged to involve them in the narcotics trade. He essentially demanded proof of their loyalty to ensure they remained under his control and pressure," the CP stated. 

According to the police chief, the handler’s brief to the accused was chillingly specific. He assigned them to single out an isolated policeman, murder him and capture the act on camera as evidence of their allegiance.

Checkpoint Encounter On Thanda Road

The Amritsar top cop emphasised that the force had been pursuing the case with utmost seriousness since ASI Harjeet Singh was murdered on the 18th, throwing a security cordon across Amritsar and placing all checkpoints, including the one on Thanda Road, on high alert after receiving credible intelligence.

"They filmed Harjit Singh as he lay fallen and forwarded the footage to that site. Once their mobile phones undergo forensic analysis, that video will be retrieved. We will also establish a concrete link using their location coordinates and present a watertight case in court," the Commissioner said.

Recounting the encounter, he explained, “When we signalled the suspect to stop at the checkpoint on Thanda Road, he opened fire. He fired four rounds, and we fired six rounds in self-defence. He was hit by one of our shots. We immediately rushed him to the hospital for first aid, but he passed away on the way; doctors declared him 'brought dead.'”

Hunt On For Second Accused

The police confirmed that the operation is underway for the second suspect, who was travelling with the deceased accused, exploited the darkness and fled from the spot. "Another suspect who was with him managed to escape by taking advantage of the darkness. We are actively chasing him, and our teams are on his trail; we will apprehend him very soon," CP Gill added.

In the meantime, the state government has moved to support the bereaved family of the martyred officer. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 1 crore for ASI Harjit Singh’s family, which will be supplemented by an additional insurance payout of Rs 1 crore.

Director General of Police (DGP, Punjab) Gaurav Yadav visited the crime scene earlier and asserted, "The accused will be brought to justice."

Meanwhile, the incident has also triggered a political faceoff in the state, with Rajya Sabha MP and senior BJP leader Tarun Chugh expressing deep grief over the killing and raising serious questions over the law-and-order situation in Punjab under the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government.