Govt lab technician shot at outside his house in Chandigarh’s Sector 22

The victim, Amrik Singh, was returning home from the local gurdwara when a youth, who seemed to be in his 20s, shot at him and fled on foot; family claims no enmity with anyone.

A 48-year-old man was shot in the right leg right outside his house in Sector 22-D on Sunday morning.

Police and forensic experts conducting investigation outside the victim’s house where he was shot at in Sector 22D, Chandigarh, on Sunday. A live cartridge (inset) was recovered. (Keshav Singh/HT)

The victim, Amrik Singh, was returning home from a local gurdwara when a youth, who seemed to be in his 20s, shot at him and fled on foot.

Amrik, who works as a lab technician for the Punjab health department in Kharar, told the police that he visited the gurdwara around 5am and started walking back home at 6.10am. As he reached home, a youth, who was wearing a hooded sweatshirt, shorts and a face mask, shot at him. Hearing the onlookers raising the alarm, the shooter fled the spot.

Amrik was rushed to PGIMER, where he is stated to be stable.

A live cartridge and a used cartridge were recovered from the spot. Locals said the unidentified youth had been waiting for Amrik.

Superintendent of police (SP, City) Vineet Kumar visited the spot after the police were informed. So far, investigators have not established the motive behind the firing.

A case under Section 307 (attempt to murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Arms Act was registered against the unidentified accused at the Sector 17 police station.

Had recently recovered from Covid

While Singh was undergoing treatment at PGIMER, his son, Jashanjot Singh, paced outside their house in Sector 22-D, answering calls from worried relatives and friends.

“My father had recently recovered from Covid. But, he will come through this just like he did with the virus,” he said. His father will undergo a surgery on Monday to remove the bullet from his thigh.

According to his son, Amrik, a devout Sikh, visits the Sector 22 gurdwara everyday before 6am when the prayers start. He did the same on Sunday and was targeted by the shooter on his way back. “Our family has no enmity with anyone. It’s unfathomable why my father was attacked,” Jashanjot said.