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Gurdaspur ‘fake encounter’: Court asks police to produce CCTV footage, vehicle logbooks
The case stems from the high-profile killings on February 22, 2026, when assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Gurnam Singh and home guard constable Ashok Kumar were found shot dead at the Adhian police post, which is barely two kilometres from the international border with Pakistan in Gurdaspur district.
A Gurdaspur court has directed the Punjab Police to submit CCTV footage from multiple police establishments and vehicle logbooks as part of a judicial inquiry into the alleged fake encounter of a 19-year-old suspect linked to the killing of two police personnel.
Chief judicial magistrate (CJM) Surekha Dadwal, who is leading the judicial probe, issued the order on July 31 during a hearing on a plea filed by Sukhwinder Kaur, the mother of the deceased suspect, Ranjit Singh. The court has directed the authorities to preserve and produce the records by August 7, 2026.
The case stems from the high-profile killings on February 22, 2026, when assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Gurnam Singh and home guard constable Ashok Kumar were found shot dead at the Adhian police post, which is barely two kilometres from the international border with Pakistan in Gurdaspur district.
Following the twin murders, the Punjab Police registered a case at the Dorangla police station and arrested three suspects — Dilawar Singh, Inderjit Singh, and Ranjit Singh. However, three days later, on February 25, 19-year-old Ranjit Singh was killed in what the police termed an encounter near Puranashala village on the Gurdaspur-Mukerian road.
The youth’s family challenged the police narrative, alleging that he was picked up and eliminated in a staged, extrajudicial killing.
Acting on a petition submitted by Ranjit’s mother four months ago, the court ordered the authorities concerned to produce the official logbooks of police vehicles and relevant CCTV footage from key police offices spanning the period of the incident.
The specific establishments ordered to yield their records include police stations of Behrampur, Purana Shalla, CIA staff, Gurdaspur, office of the Dinanagar DSP, office of the Gurdaspur SP (detective), and the office of the Gurdaspur SSP.
The CJM noted in the order that the authorities shall ensure compliance and produce the record before the court on August 7, subject to its availability and preservation in accordance with law.
While the court accepted the plea for digital and logistical logs, it turned down the complainant’s request for other crucial police documents.
Kaur had also sought the production of the police force’s daily diary registers (DDRs) and the complete investigation file of the FIR, but these demands were rejected.
