A Shiromani Akali Dal leader, said to be a close aide of former Minister Bikram Singh Majithia, was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Amritsar's Umarpura village.
Gurdeep Singh’s killing on Wednesday is a second such instance of fatal attacks on SAD leaders in the State since November, when Dalbir Singh Dhilwan was killed in Gurdaspur.
Terming the murder “politically-motivated”, carried out at the behest of the ruling Congress, SAD has demanded an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation in the case.
Police said 50-year-old Gurdeep was killed on January 1 by motorcycle-borne assailants when he was coming out of a local gurdwara after offering prayers. The police said the assailants managed to flee after pumping five bullets into Gurdeep’s body, who died on the spot.
Wife a sarpanch
Gurdeep’s wife is the village head (sarpanch) of Umarpura village.
Station House Officer Tarsem Singh told reporters that five persons have been booked in connection with the murder and police teams were conducted raids in search of the assailants, who fled the spot after the incident.
Hitting out at the ruling Congress, Mr. Majhitia said the killing of Gurdeep was a “political murder”.
“The political assassination of Baba Gurdeep Singh was a direct result of threats being issued to him of dangerous consequences if he did not stop speaking against the ‘minister-gangster’ nexus. A message had been sent to me that my close political associates will be targeted if I do not stop speaking for justice for former Akali Sarpanch Dalbir Dhilwan, who was also murdered in the same way like Baba Gurdeep Singh,” said Mr. Majithia.
(With PTI inputs)
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