Man arrested over fatal shooting of retired PSPCL employee

Police in Badhni Kalan, Moga, have arrested the prime accused in the broad-daylight murder of a 65-year-old retired government employee.

The incident, which police said was triggered by a minor dispute over a motorcycle blocking the road, took place on July 16, 2026, in Daudhar Sharki village of Moga district. The victim, Nirmal Singh, a retired Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) employee, was shot dead.

According to eyewitnesses and family members, Nirmal Singh had left his home on Thursday afternoon on his motorcycle to get a haircut at a barber shop near the village bus stand. On the way, he encountered the accused, Gurpreet Singh, a fellow villager who had returned to India from Manila, the Philippines, just 10 days earlier.

Police said Gurpreet Singh had parked his Royal Enfield Bullet motorcycle in the middle of the road, obstructing the passage. When Nirmal Singh asked him to move the motorcycle so he could pass, an argument broke out between the two.

As the confrontation escalated, Gurpreet Singh, who police said has a history of violent behaviour and previous criminal cases involving physical assault, allegedly drew a revolver and fired two shots into the left side of Nirmal Singh's abdomen before fleeing the scene on his motorcycle.

Following the killing, Moga Police formed multiple teams to trace the suspect and arrested Gurpreet Singh on Friday.

"A case has been registered under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act, at Badhni Kalan Police Station. Following a rigorous manhunt, the main accused has been arrested. Police have also recovered the black Royal Enfield Bullet motorcycle used in the crime, along with blood-stained clothes," police said.

The victim's son, Hardeep Singh, expressed grief over the killing, saying his father had no personal enmity or disputes with anyone in the village.

Nirmal Singh is survived by his wife, two sons and two daughters.

Senior police officials said further investigation is under way to recover the firearm allegedly used in the murder.