CHANDIGARH — A 36-year-old Punjab Police head constable on active security deployment died of an alleged self-inflicted gunshot wound Friday afternoon inside Panjab University’s Botanical Garden.
Panic rippled across the university grounds at approximately 4:30 pm as a single shot echoed from an adjacent staff room. First responders rushed to the scene. They found Head Constable Gurmangat Singh collapsed on the floor with a critical trauma wound, his state-issued service firearm beside him. He died on the spot.
Singh, a native of Amritsar attached to the Punjab Police's 82nd Battalion, had served as the personal security officer to Panjab University Botany Department head gardener Sher Singh for the past three months. Investigators cordoned off the perimeter within minutes of the discharge. No suicide note was recovered from the scene.
"Police are examining all possible angles to ascertain the circumstances and reasons behind the incident," stated Deputy Superintendent of Police Ram Gopal, who is supervising the inquiry alongside forensic teams from the Sector 11 police station and the Panjab University police post.
Police are examining all possible angles to ascertain the circumstances and reasons behind the incident.
Ram Gopal, Deputy Superintendent of Police
Singh is survived by his wife and two children. Official records show he had been residing in Jayanti Majri with the head gardener during his posting. Authorities notified the family Friday evening, and the body will be transferred to his relatives following an autopsy at the government hospital on Saturday.
Sher Singh, who has maintained the university’s Botanical Garden grounds since 2013, was assigned dedicated Punjab Police protection five years ago after receiving recurring threats. Those threats stemmed from an ongoing legal conflict over approximately 3,600 killas of disputed land spanning five villages—a high-stakes dispute that remains pending before the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
The prolonged litigation prompted state authorities to sanction armed security detail for the university employee, leading to Singh's assignment to the post late last year.
| Case Parameter | Official Status |
|---|---|
| Deceased Personnel | Head Constable Gurmangat Singh (Age 36) |
| Police Unit | 82nd Battalion, Punjab Police (Native of Amritsar) |
| Protectee | Sher Singh, Panjab University Head Gardener |
| Incident Location | Room adjacent to Botanical Garden, Panjab University |
| Weapon Involved | Government-Issued Service Firearm |
| Lead Investigator | DSP Ram Gopal, Sector 11 Police Station |
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