Punjab cop shot dead by bike-borne men in fresh targeted attack close to Pak border

Punjab Police Assistant Sub-Inspector Harjit Singh was shot dead in the early hours of Friday near the Bhagtanwala grain market in Amritsar, in what investigators are examining as a targeted attack by two motorcycle-borne assailants.Singh, in his early 50s and a resident of Tarn Taran district, was posted at the Gate Hakima police station and was performing duty near the grain market when the attackers opened fire. The killing marks the fourth targeted attack on police personnel in Punjab this year.Preliminary investigations suggest the assailants followed Singh before opening fire at close range.Police are examining CCTV footage and analysing technical evidence, including mobile-phone data, to establish the attackers' movements and identify possible links. A .30-bore shell was recovered from the crime scene, while forensic and post-mortem examinations are expected to provide further details.TARGETED ATTACKS ON PUNJAB COPSThe latest attack has raised concern over a recurring pattern of hit-and-run shootings in Punjab, particularly in the Amritsar border belt. Targets have generally included lower- and middle-ranking police personnel whose duty and commuting routines can be relatively predictable. In several cases, attackers have used motorcycles, struck at close range and fled quickly.RECURRING HIT-AND-RUN PATTERNThe Harjit Singh killing came days after ASI Jaswant Singh was attacked in the Ajnala area on September 11 while returning home after duty.Motorcycle-borne assailants opened fire, with a bullet grazing his head and passing through his turban. He managed to reach Ajnala police station on his motorcycle and was later reported to be out of danger.The Tehreek-e-Taliban Hindustan (TTH) subsequently claimed responsibility for the attack.Intelligence agencies are examining its suspected links with gangster Shahzad Bhatti's network. The Home Ministry banned the Shahzad Bhatti network under the UAPA on September 16.Investigators are also examining whether the same module was involved in the attack on Harjit Singh.Security officials believe the emerging threat could involve a hybrid model, with local criminal or radicalised youths acting as shooters for external handlers.Such recruits, according to officials, may have little or no previous criminal record and are allegedly offered small amounts of money for carrying out attacks.WEAPONS SNEAKED-IN THROUGH DRONESThe suspected movement of weapons through drones has added another dimension. A senior officer said nearly 40 drones crossed into the Amritsar sector over three days, of which only three were intercepted.The three drones that were brought down were carrying small arms, including Glock pistols and .30-bore weapons. Officials suspect other drones may have carried weapons along with narcotics.Recent seizures reported by Punjab Police indicate a continuing flow of firearms. Between September 3 and 16, police reported recovering .30-bore pistols, foreign-made weapons, AK-47 rifles, ammunition and narcotics in operations across Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Pathankot.COPS RAMP UP BORDER SURVEILLANCEPunjab Police has nine anti-drone systems, including three Baaj Akh systems operational in Amritsar, Tarn Taran and Ferozepur.Three Drone Sense D200 Pro platforms have also been deployed since September 3. In addition, 52 Drone Response Teams comprising 147 personnel work in coordination with the BSF.The force has also deployed 64 second-line defence nakas and installed 2,367 CCTV cameras at 585 locations.Officials, however, say rapidly evolving drone technology and the limited effectiveness of fixed checkpoints remain challenges.With Punjab sharing a 553-km border with Pakistan, security agencies remain concerned about attempts to sustain low-intensity violence through small, targeted attacks. At least ten low-intensity blasts have also been recorded in the state since the beginning of the year.- EndsPublished On: Sep 19, 2026 20:11 IST