2 men open fire on AAP leader

BATALA:Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Gurpartap Singh Khushalpur escaped unhurt on Sunday night when two unidentified persons opened fire on him at his native Khushalpur village in Dera Baba Nanak tehsil of Gurdaspur district.

Police said the incident took place when Khushalpur, who contested the assembly elections from the Dera Baba Nanak constituency, reached near his house at Mohalla Fateh Singh.

Police officials of Batala police district, including senior superintendent of police (SSP) Deepak Hilori, rushed to the spot and started investigation.

In his complaint to the police, Khushalpur said around 9.30pm when he, along with four other persons, returned home after a workers’ meeting, two persons riding a motorcycle chased them.

“As I got off the car, one of the motorcyclists opened fire. The first bullet hit the bumper of my car while the second bullet hit a wall. Later, two more shots were fired following which my driver pushed me inside the gate of house,” he said. The assailants managed to flee.

Station house officer Dera Baba Nanak Satinder Singh said a case under Section 307 (attempt to murder) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered against two unidentified persons. “We are working on various theories. We have got CCTV footage of all cameras installed on the road leading to Khushalpur’s house,” he said.

Kushalpur was once close to senior Akali leader Ranjit Singh Brahmpura and also remained the chairman of Punjab Surgerfed, but after being denied ticket from Dera Baba Nanak, he joined the AAP.

fire. TheAs motorcyclistI firstgot off bullet the openedhit car, thea bumper of my car while the second hit a wall. Later, two more shots were fired following which my driver pushed me inside the gate of house.

GURPARTAP SINGH KHUSHALPUR, AAP leader from Gurdaspur