The gunman attack unfolded in the late hours of Sunday in Naushehra Pannuna, a village in the Ferozepur district.
ASI Iqbal Singh was returning home after duty when two unidentified motorcycle‑borne assailants opened fire from point‑blank range, striking him twice. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.
The incident marks the second fatal attack on a police officer in just two weeks, following similar gunmen‑assaults on ASIs in Amritsar and Bhagtanwala earlier this month. In total, seven assistant sub‑inspectors have been murdered in Punjab’s border area, a grim trend that has drawn sharp criticism from opposition leaders.
Deputy Inspector General Snehdeep Sharma said the police are combing CCTV footage from surrounding areas, deploying multiple teams to trace the attackers and said, “We have leads, and we are working on them. We will soon nab the assailants.”
Bikram Singh Majithia of the Shiromani Akali Dal slammed CM Bhagwant Mann, accusing him of failing to safeguard frontline officers. “The murder of the seventh ASI proves the chief minister’s inability to maintain law and order,” he posted on X.
The family of Iqbal Singh, a seasoned officer posted in Makhu, mourned his loss amid calls for tighter security for police in the region. They highlighted that even trained officers are now vulnerable to swift, lethal attacks.
Police have announced a comprehensive probe, with a senior officer slated to meet the state cabinet next week to discuss enhanced security protocols and the deployment of armed escorts for border officers.