Punjab: AAP Leader Gurpreet Gopi Killed in Ferozepur, Police Point to Election Dispute
A 45-year-old leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was shot dead in Punjab’s Ferozepur district on Saturday evening, August 29, 2026. Police on Sunday said the attack was linked to a dispute arising from the recent municipal council elections.
Gurpreet Singh, also known as Gopi, was travelling on a motorcycle with Harpreet alias Happy, 22, through the main bazaar of Mamdot when four armed assailants arrived in a car, got out, and opened fire, according to police. The attackers fled immediately after the shooting.
Initial reports suggested that the two victims were in a car, but later information confirmed that they were on a motorcycle. The reason for the confusion is not clear, and police have not commented on it.
Local residents took the injured to the Civil Hospital in Ferozepur, where Gurpreet Singh was declared brought dead. Harpreet, with bullet injuries, was later shifted to a private hospital in Ludhiana for further medical care. His condition has not been officially updated.
The attack also targeted Vicky Maini, the newly appointed president of the Mamdot Nagar Panchayat and an AAP member. According to sources, Maini was following the motorcycle in a separate car. He also came under gunfire but escaped unhurt. The sources did not provide details about whether Maini was specifically aimed at or caught in the line of fire.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Bhupinder Singh confirmed that the police have identified the accused and dispatched teams to arrest them. He said the killing was the outcome of “personal enmity related to the recent municipal council elections.” The SSP did not elaborate on the nature of the enmity or the identities of the accused.
Gurpreet Singh belonged to a politically active family. His father, Balkar Singh, was a former leader of the Congress party. His sister-in-law had recently been elected as a member of the Nagar Panchayat in the municipal polls. These family connections place the killing in the context of local political rivalries, though police have not confirmed any specific motive beyond the election-related dispute.
The municipal council elections in Punjab had concluded recently, with results that reshaped the composition of local bodies. In Mamdot, the AAP gained significant ground, and Vicky Maini took charge as the president of the Nagar Panchayat. The election period saw intense campaigning, and the police have been investigating several complaints of tension, though no official link has been established between those complaints and the shooting.
The incident has put the spotlight on the security of elected representatives and candidates in Punjab. Political parties have generally refrained from making public statements until the investigation progresses. The district administration has increased police patrolling in Mamdot and surrounding areas to prevent any further escalation.
Police have appealed to eyewitnesses and local shopkeepers to share any CCTV footage or information that could help in identifying the attackers. The SSP assured that the accused will be brought to justice swiftly. A formal case has been registered, and further details are awaited as the investigation continues.
