Punjab: RTI activist shot dead in second attempt

Chandigarh, May 30 (IANS) RTI activist and lawyer Simranjit Singh, who had been filing complaints against high-profile people, was shot dead in a second attempt on his life by two motorcycle-borne men at point-blank range on Saturday in Punjab’s Phagwara city, police said.

The assailants opened fire at him near the Jalandhar-Ludhiana highway. Simranjit Singh was hit by multiple bullets.

Simranjit Singh, who had earlier narrowly escaped an attempt to kill him in Jalandhar city, had been filing petitions and complaints, largely on controversial issues in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the state police, and the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

It has been learnt that the victim had provided documents to the ED against state Cabinet minister Sanjeev Arora, who is currently lodged in jail. He also filed a petition challenging the constitutionality of the highly sensitive Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib (Amendment) Act, 2026.

Senior Superintendent of Police Gaurav Toora told the media that two bullets pierced through his head. The police recovered a .32 bore pistol lying near him and a 12 bore rifle in his Fortuner vehicle. Simranjit’s two mobile phones were lying close to the victim.

He said his vehicle was parked properly and that it did not appear he was waylaid.

Deputy Inspector General Naveen Singla told the media that, if needed, they would also seek assistance from the Counter-Intelligence wing of the Punjab Police.

Responding to the crime, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal wrote on X that he strongly condemned the brutal murder of RTI activist and lawyer Simranjit Singh in Phagwara. He said this was a direct attack on democracy and transparency, adding that he had learnt the advocate had filed a PIL in the Punjab and Haryana High Court challenging the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026.

Badal added that given the gravity of the matter, the incident demanded a thorough investigation by an independent agency. He said murdering people to silence voices that challenge wrongdoings in the system had become the new normal in Punjab under the Aam Aadmi Party rule.

Joining the issue, state Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring said another shocking incident had raised serious questions about the state of law and order in Punjab. He noted that when activists, lawyers, and citizens who raise their voice fear for their safety, the government must answer.

Warring said Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had promised a safer Punjab, but today people were asking why shootings, gang violence, and targeted attacks continued despite repeated assurances. He added that Punjab deserved justice, accountability, and a government that could ensure the safety of every citizen.

–IANS

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