Navtej Singh, alias Neetu, a 60-year-old former sarpanch of Manewal village and local Shiromani Akali Dal leader, was allegedly shot dead by motorcycle-borne assailants in Punjab's Ludhiana district while he was returning home.
According to reports, Singh was travelling in his Toyota Innova near the Ladhowal area when two men on a motorcycle allegedly intercepted the vehicle and opened fire. Multiple rounds were fired at close range, with reports putting the number of shots at up to 13. The incident was reportedly captured by the vehicle's dashcam, reported NDTV.
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Singh sustained multiple bullet injuries in the attack. He was rushed to a hospital for treatment but was declared dead by doctors.
The motive behind the killing has not yet been established by investigators. However, Singh's family has alleged that the shooting was a planned attack linked to a long-running land and property dispute involving his brother and other family members, as per The Indian Express.
Singh's son, Alamjit Singh, reportedly named eight people in his police complaint, including his uncle Pal Singh, other family members and the current village head. The family has alleged that disputes over property had continued for some time and that legal cases connected with the matter were already pending in court.
Alamjit also claimed that he and his father had previously received threats, raising suspicions within the family that the shooting was connected to the ongoing dispute. The allegations have yet to be established by the police.
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Ludhiana Police have registered a case and launched an investigation into the killing. Police teams are examining forensic evidence and working to identify and trace the assailants who fled the scene after the shooting. Investigators are also examining personal enmity and other possible motives alongside the land-dispute angle.
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