ABOHAR, Punjab, December 11 — A youth was shot dead Thursday afternoon by three car-borne assailants in the parking lot of the Abohar court complex in Fazilka district, police said. The victim, identified as Akash, alias Golu Pandit, a resident of Abohar, had gone to attend a hearing in an Arms Act case.
Fazilka Senior Superintendent of Police Gurmeet Singh said the attackers arrived in a car and fired six rounds at Akash from close range. “Prima facie, it appears to be a fallout of an ongoing gang rivalry. The district police will not tolerate gangsters. The accused have been identified and will be arrested soon. They will not be spared under any circumstances,” Singh said.
An eyewitness, Sonu, who was accompanying Akash, said, “Moments after he exited the court and walked towards his car, the attackers opened indiscriminate fire. He collapsed instantly, three bullets struck him. It all happened in seconds.”
Akash was rushed to a nearby government hospital, but he was declared dead. The shooting occurred meters from courtrooms and government offices, triggering panic among passers-by, including advocates, litigants, and staff.
Police immediately arrived at the scene, scanned CCTV footage, questioned suspects, and intensified patrolling to prevent further escalation. Lawyers condemned the lapse in security at a government complex that routinely sees heavy footfall, especially with local body elections on December 14 underway.
