Punjab sarpanch Harwinder Singh alias Happy shot dead outside his gym in Moga. (Photo: X)
A village sarpanch was shot dead by unidentified assailants in broad daylight in Punjab’s Moga district on Friday, police said.
The victim, Harwinder Singh alias Happy, was the sarpanch of Patto Hira Singh village.
According to police, the attack took place on the Baghapurana-Kotkapura road when Happy arrived at his private gym.
As he stepped out of his car, four to five attackers who arrived in an SUV opened fire at him, shooting multiple rounds.
Happy was rushed to a nearby hospital with serious bullet injuries but succumbed to his wounds, officials said.
Inspector Jatinder Singh, Station House Officer (SHO) of Baghapurana police station, said the assailants fired around eight to ten rounds at the sarpanch before fleeing the scene.
Police teams reached the spot soon after the incident and launched a search operation to track down the attackers.
Moga Senior Superintendent of Police Ajay Gandhi said initial investigations suggest that personal rivalry may have led to the killing.
“We have identified the assailants and gathered some clues. All our teams are working on the case and the accused will be arrested soon,” the SSP said.
He also ruled out the involvement of any gangster groups in the murder.
Police revealed that the deceased sarpanch had a criminal history. According to officials, Happy was a history-sheeter with around 10–12 FIRs registered against him in the past and had been involved in several clashes.
Despite this, he was elected sarpanch as an independent candidate in his village.
Sources said that although Happy was elected as an independent candidate, he was reportedly on cordial terms with leaders of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in order to secure funds for the development of his village.
Police said the family of the deceased has refused to file an FIR so far and has also declined to allow a post-mortem examination.
Officials added that the family members are yet to record their formal statements regarding the incident.
Meanwhile, a woman identified as Rupinder Kaur publicly accused AAP MLA Amritpal Singh Sukhanand of being responsible for the murder. She alleged that the MLA had been threatening Happy in the past.
A video of Rupinder making the allegations circulated widely on social media and was shared by opposition leaders, including Shiromani Akali Dal’s Bikram Singh Majithia and Congress leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira, who demanded action from Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
Responding to the accusations, Sukhanand denied any involvement and said the allegations were baseless.
“Anyone can take anyone’s name, but without evidence it means nothing. I am ready to face the law. They must present proof against me,” the MLA said.
He also claimed that the dispute was related to personal and matrimonial issues involving Rupinder Kaur, her husband Manpreet Singh, and Happy.
The murder of Harwinder Singh has raised concerns over law and order in Punjab, as it marks the third killing of a village sarpanch in the state in the last two months.
Earlier, on January 4, AAP sarpanch Jharmal Singh from Valtoha village in Amritsar district was shot dead at a wedding ceremony.
Later, on February 18, another AAP sarpanch, Harbarinder Singh from Thathian Mehta village in Tarn Taran district, was gunned down by unidentified attackers at a wedding event.
In the latter case, the Lakhbir Singh Landa gang had claimed responsibility through an unverified social media post.
Following the latest killing, opposition leaders criticised the ruling AAP government, claiming the incident exposes the gap between the government’s claims on law and order and the ground reality.
Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia accused the government of failing to control crime in the state.
Sofia Babu Chacko is a journalist with over five years of experience covering Indian politics, crime, human rights, gender issues, and stories about marginalized communities. She believes that every voice matters, and journalism has a vital role to play in amplifying those voices. Sofia is committed to creating impact and shedding light on stories that truly matter. Beyond her work in the newsroom, she is also a music enthusiast who enjoys singing.
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