Mandeep Singh shot during argument with SAD leader in Punjab, critically injured

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Mandeep Singh Brar was critically injured after being shot during a heated argument with Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Vardev Singh Mann in Fazilka district, Punjab. The incident occurred outside the Block Development and Panchayat Officer (BDPO) office in Jalalabad on Saturday. Brar was shot following a confrontation that escalated after the BDPO declined Mann's request to clear a file related to a school.

Tensions rose between the two leaders, resulting in Brar sustaining a bullet wound. He was initially taken to a government hospital in Jalalabad before being transferred to a district medical center in Ludhiana due to his critical condition. Jalalabad AAP MLA Jagdeep Kamboj Goldy accused Vardev Singh Mann, son of former MP Zora Singh Mann, of firing the shot. Following the incident, Fazilka senior police officer Varinder Singh Brar arrived at the scene to manage the situation.

This shooting comes amid rising political tensions in Punjab as the state prepares for panchayat elections on October 15, where over 52,000 nominations have been submitted. AAP spokesperson Neel Garg condemned the violence and called for prompt action against the accused, stating, "Violence has no place in our democracy." The police are investigating the matter and plan to register a case against Mann, who reportedly had a previous grudge against Brar.