A Right to Information (RTI) activist was shot dead outside the Lovely Professional University (LPU) gate in Phagwara on Saturday afternoon. The victim, identified as Simranjeet Singh from Jalandhar, sustained fatal injuries in the attack.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that Singh was fired upon at close range while he was reportedly without security personnel, despite having been provided with two gunmen by the Jalandhar City police. He died on the spot at Chaheru village, near the university’s law gate.
This incident marks a second violent encounter for the activist, who had previously survived an attack by armed assailants outside a gym in Model Town approximately a year ago. His persistent use of the RTI Act had led him to file numerous petitions and complaints over the past decade against various individuals and entities, including the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the Punjab Police, and the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Sources indicate that Simranjeet Singh had also provided the ED with documents pertaining to Punjab minister Sanjeev Arora, who is currently incarcerated. Singh was a resident of Adarsh Nagar and was reportedly remarried after a divorce.
The motive behind the fatal shooting is currently under investigation, with authorities examining the activist’s past complaints and interactions. The incident has raised concerns about the safety of activists and individuals who engage in seeking information through legal channels.
The Chenab Times News Desk