Amritsar Police Encounter Ends Hunt for ASI Murder Suspect

On a humid Saturday night in Amritsar, a routine checkpoint turned into a deadly clash. Officers, alerted to the whereabouts of two suspects linked to the killing of Assistant Sub‑Inspector Harjit Singh, ordered a scooter‑bound duo to stop on Thanda Road.

Instead of complying, one of the men—identified as Deepak Singh from Mulechak village—opened fire, unleashing four rounds before bolting toward another checkpoint. The police, acting in self‑defence, returned fire with six shots. One of those bullets struck Deepak, who was rushed to a nearby hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.

Commissioner Harmanbir Singh Gill, speaking to the press, said the encounter was a direct result of the “red alert” the police had issued after receiving credible intel. While Deepak succumbed to his injuries, his accomplice slipped away under the cover of darkness, and officers continue to hunt him.

Investigators say they pieced together the suspects’ trail using CCTV footage, tower‑dump analysis, local intelligence and a network of human sources. At the scene they recovered a pistol, two magazines and eight cartridges, evidence that will be examined further.

What adds a twist to the saga is the claim from the police commissioner that the whole operation was orchestrated from abroad. According to Gill, a man based in Pakistan lured the two Amritsar youths with promises of cash and a role in the narcotics trade. The handler allegedly demanded proof of loyalty, assigning them the grim task of killing a lone police officer and sending him video footage of the act.

Police have already seized the suspects’ mobile phones and intend to conduct forensic analysis to retrieve the alleged video and verify location data. “Once the phones are examined, we expect to find the footage and establish a concrete link to the handler,” Gill told reporters.

The case, still unfolding, has sent ripples through the community, reviving fears about cross‑border criminal networks and prompting calls for tighter security measures. As the hunt for the second suspect drags on, families of both the slain officer and the deceased accused are left grappling with a painful mix of grief and unanswered questions.