Families of two men fatally shot in Moga, Punjab, on Sunday have refused to proceed with their last rites, staging a protest and demanding the immediate apprehension of all key individuals involved in the double homicide. The victims, Sahil Jindal and Gagan Jindal, died after unidentified assailants opened fire outside a residence in Angadpura village.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that the incident occurred on Sunday evening when assailants, travelling in a black Scorpio SUV, unleashed approximately 15 to 20 rounds of gunfire. Sahil and Gagan Jindal sustained fatal bullet injuries, while three other individuals present at the scene were seriously wounded and are currently receiving medical treatment.
The situation escalated as grieving relatives voiced their dissent against the district administration and the state government. They alleged that post-mortem examinations were conducted without their explicit consent, adding to their distress. The families have firmly stated their intention to withhold the cremation until all perpetrators are brought to justice.
Adding to the tension, local Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Dr. Amandeep Kaur Arora, accompanied by party councillors, attempted to mediate with the families to encourage the commencement of the cremation rituals. However, their efforts were met with resistance and protest chants from the assembled relatives, who expressed a lack of confidence in the police’s approach, suggesting the authorities were more focused on de-escalation than apprehending the primary shooters.
The families are insistent on seeing concrete action and immediate justice before they will agree to perform the final rites for the deceased.
This standoff persists despite reported progress by the police in their investigation. Senior officials have stated that five individuals have been taken into custody based on initial findings and complaints lodged by the victims’ families. Moga Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Sartaj Singh Chahal and Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav visited the crime scene on Monday to personally oversee the ongoing investigation and gather further details.
Sources within the police department suggest that the motive behind the double murder is rooted in a deep-seated personal feud and ongoing gang rivalries. Investigators are reportedly exploring the possibility of a retaliatory cycle of violence.
Sahil Jindal, one of the deceased, had a history of registered cases against him, reportedly numbering around ten, primarily related to local altercations and rioting. Reports indicate that Sahil had filed an FIR approximately two years prior against a rival faction, purportedly led by an individual named Kuljit. The police are also examining connections to a murder that occurred in 2023, in which another cousin of Sahil was reportedly killed, as they attempt to trace the alleged chain of revenge killings that may have culminated in Sunday’s violence.
Senior police officials confirmed that multiple specialized teams, bolstered by the expertise of forensic experts and equipped with CCTV analysis units, are actively conducting raids on suspected hideouts. These operations are aimed at apprehending the main shooters believed to be responsible for the fatalities and injuries.
The Chenab Times News Desk