Two men were shot dead in Bhoma village under Batala police district on Monday night while they were out for a walk. Police suspect that four assailants on motorbikes fired indiscriminately at the victims between 9 pm and 9:30 pm on the outskirts of the village.
Victims Identified
The deceased were identified as Kashmir Singh, 40, and Jugraj Singh, 19, a local-level kabaddi player. A third person, also named Jugraj Singh, 18, who was accompanying the duo, sustained injuries in the firing and is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital.
Possible Motive
Police believe that Kashmir Singh, son of a former sarpanch of the village, was the primary target. The attack is suspected to stem from a personal rivalry. Batala Senior Superintendent of Police Mehtab Singh stated that Kashmir Singh had been booked under the NDPS Act in 2021 by the erstwhile anti-drug Special Task Force and was released from jail in 2023.
The SSP ruled out any extortion angle or involvement of a criminal gang. He added that the families of the deceased did not report any extortion threats either before or after the incident.
Police are investigating the case and searching for the assailants.
