States » NorthPosted at: Oct 22 2026 3:10PM


Man shot dead in Punjab's Tarn Taran hours after release from police custody; gangsters claim revenge killing

Neeraj Bali
Chandigarh, Oct 22 (UNI) A 40-year-old man was shot dead by two masked motorcycle-borne assailants in Punjab's Tarn Taran district on Wednesday evening, hours after being released from police custody, in what investigators suspect was a revenge killing linked to a deadly rivalry between criminal gangs, police said.
The victim, identified as Kuldeep Singh, a house painter from Naushehra Pannuan village, was on his way to a barber's shop at around 6:30 p.m. when the attackers opened fire and fled.
Gangsters identifying themselves as Landa Harike and Satta Naushehra claimed responsibility for the killing in a social media post, describing it as retaliation for the October 11 murder of Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Iqbal Singh.
"This was a retaliatory action in Tarn Taran district. Kuldeep Singh was killed to avenge the murder of ASI Iqbal Singh, as he had provided information about the officer's movements," the purported post said.
Police have not authenticated the post, and the claim could not be independently verified.
Patti Deputy Superintendent of Police Ravi Sher Singh said preliminary investigations suggested the killing was linked to an ongoing rivalry between gangster groups.
"The murder of Kuldeep Singh appears to be the result of inter-gang rivalry," he said, adding that a case had been registered and an investigation was underway.
Tarn Taran Superintendent of Police Ripudaman Singh said investigators were searching for two motorcycle-borne suspects who fled after the shooting.
"The two assailants involved in the incident are being traced. They will be arrested soon," he said.
Police officials said Kuldeep and his son Manpreet Singh had earlier been detained for questioning over allegations that they had helped track ASI Iqbal Singh's movements before his murder.
Kuldeep was released following questioning on Wednesday, while his son remained in police custody, according to police officials.
ASI Iqbal Singh, 55, posted with the counter-intelligence unit in Ferozepur, was shot dead on October 11 near the village's patwar office while returning from a local gurdwara.
Two masked men riding a motorcycle allegedly intercepted the officer and fired several shots at close range, killing him on the spot.
A social media post attributed to overseas-based gangster Donny Bal subsequently claimed responsibility for the officer's murder, alleging that he had been assisting rival gangster Landa Harike by passing on police intelligence.
Those allegations have not been independently verified, and police are investigating their authenticity.
The killing of the officer followed the September 11 murder of his nephew, Ajmeet Singh, who was an accused in the rocket-propelled grenade attack on Sarhali police station.
Ajmeet had been released on bail in August before being shot dead the following month, allegedly by members of a rival gang.
Investigators are also examining possible connections involving the officer's son, Komal Pannu, who police sources said was wanted in connection with suspected criminal activities.
Police suspect the three killings may be linked to a wider cycle of retaliatory violence involving rival criminal networks operating in Punjab and abroad.
However, investigators have yet to establish the precise motive behind Wednesday's shooting or independently verify the claims made by the rival gangs.
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Tags: #Man shot dead in Punjab's Tarn Taran hours after release from police custody; gangsters claim revenge killing
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