States » NorthPosted at: Oct 20 2026 9:59PM


Gunman assigned to former Congress MLA among three held with opium in Punjab

Chandigarh, Oct 20 (UNI) A Punjab Police personnel assigned as a gunman to former Congress legislator Kulbir Singh Zira was among three people arrested in a joint operation by the Border Security Force (BSF) and Punjab Police near the India-Pakistan border in Tarn Taran district on Tuesday, with 525 grams of opium allegedly recovered from their possession.
The suspects were apprehended around 5 p.m. during a search operation near Border Outpost Mangli in the Khalra sector. A Bolero vehicle was also seized, according to information about the operation.
The arrested men were identified as Amarjit Singh of Sulayani village in Ferozepur district, Kuldeep Singh of Saner Road in Zira, and Jagbir Singh of Booian village in Ferozepur. Amarjit Singh is a Punjab Police employee who had been assigned to the former MLA's security detail.
Reacting to the arrest, Zira said he had previously raised concerns about the conduct of the gunman assigned to him and accused the Bhagwant Mann government of jeopardising his security.
"I had already informed the authorities that the condition and conduct of this gunman were not satisfactory. He reported for duty for just one hour and never returned," Zira said in a statement.
Zira said his regular security officer, ASI Resham Singh, had gone on medical leave and that Amarjit Singh was sent as a replacement on the instructions of the Ferozepur Senior Superintendent of Police.
"He told me he did not want to perform security duty and was trying to get himself transferred," the former legislator said.
Zira also alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party government was attempting to compromise his security despite threats from gangsters.
"I have already approached the High Court over my security. We regularly speak against gangsters, and I fear the Bhagwant Mann government wants to get me killed in an encounter," he alleged.
The former MLA directed his remarks at AAP leader Baltej Pannu, who had publicised the gunman's reported arrest on social media.
The arrest has raised questions about the screening and supervision of police personnel assigned to protect political figures.
The reported arrest has been independently corroborated, but the identities of all three suspects, the precise quantity of opium, and the vehicle seizure could not be verified from police or BSF statement available at the time of filing this report.
UNI NB CDS
Tags: #Gunman assigned to former Congress MLA among three held with opium in Punjab
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