Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) activist Gurpreet Singh Gopi was shot dead in Punjab’s Ferozepur district after unidentified attackers allegedly chased the motorcycle he was travelling on and opened fire, police said. The incident took place on Saturday night in Mamdot, around 24 km from Ferozepur.
Gopi was travelling with his associate Harpreet Singh when the attackers allegedly followed them in a car and opened fire. Both men suffered injuries and were rushed to hospital, where doctors declared Gopi dead on arrival. Harpreet remains under treatment.
Ferozepur Senior Superintendent of Police Bhupinder Singh Sidhu said investigators are examining an old dispute between the two sides as a possible motive. However, an election-related dispute has also emerged as a significant angle in the investigation.
Police said several friends of Gopi and Harpreet were travelling behind them in another vehicle. Among them was Vicky Maini, president of the Mamdot Nagar Panchayat. The attackers allegedly opened fire at that vehicle as well, although those travelling inside managed to escape unharmed.
The political angle has come under scrutiny because of recent local electoral developments. Gopi’s sister-in-law had recently won the Mamdot Nagar Panchayat election from Ward 5, according to police sources. Investigators are now examining whether tensions linked to the local elections contributed to the attack.
Police have launched an investigation and are working to identify and apprehend those responsible. Officers are also examining the circumstances surrounding the attack and gathering information from witnesses and those who were accompanying the victims.
The killing has once again raised concerns over political violence in Punjab, particularly as the state moves towards another politically significant period. For now, police are treating the old dispute and election rivalry as possible motives, but the investigation is still underway and no final conclusion has been reached.
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