Sarpanch gunned down in Punjab's Hoshiarpur District, old rivalry suspected in murder

Sandip Kumar Chhina, the sarpanch of Dadiana Kalan, was fatally shot at his cement block plant in Dosarka village. Eyewitnesses reported that three individuals arrived on a motorcycle, with one of them shaking hands with the sarpanch before opening fire.

Immediate response

Chhina was rushed to a nearby private hospital, where he was declared brought dead. Subsequently, his body was moved to the Hoshiarpur civil hospital for postmortem. Supporters gathered at the hospital, staging a demonstration against the police and state government.

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The incident is suspected to stem from an old rivalry, as per the police. Superintendent of police, Sarabjit Singh Bahia, informed that a case under Section 302 of the IPC had been registered against Anoop Kumar Vicky of Asalpur, Munish Kumar, and an unidentified person. Police initiated raids to apprehend the accused, releasing photographs of Anoop Kumar and Munish Kumar to seek public assistance in tracing them.

Protests and ultimatum

In response to the tragic incident, various SC organizations organized a march in the city, compelling shopkeepers to close their shutters. Dalit leaders issued a stern warning, threatening to escalate protests if the culprits were not arrested by evening. The family of the deceased sarpanch staged a protest in Dosarka, refusing to cremate the body until arrests were made. Dalit organizations issued an ultimatum to the police, demanding the arrest of the accused by Friday morning, or they would observe a district-wide bandh.

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The situation remained tense, with protests ongoing as of the latest report.