Amritsar, December 5
A Punjab Police assistant sub-inspector was allegedly shot dead by Akali leader Ranjit Singh Rana near Chheharta police station on the GT Road here today after he stopped him and his accomplices from molesting his daughter.

Rana, general secretary of the district SAD unit, has been expelled from the party and a case registered against him. The ASI was identified as Ravinderpal Singh. He was posted at Gharinda police station under Amritsar rural police district.

Sources said prime accused Ranjit Singh Rana had been teasing ASI Ravinderpal Singh’s daughter for some time and she had told her family about it. Today, around 3 pm, she saw Rana, accompanied by Ranbir Singh Beera and another unidentified person, in a jeep in the Chheharta area, and called up her father.

Ravinderpal Singh, who was in uniform, reached the scene and a heated argument took place. In the course of the altercation, Rana allegedly pulled out his revolver and opened fire, injuring Ravinderpal and his daughter.

The three then escaped in their jeep. Minutes later, they returned with another weapon and shot ASI Ravinderpal Singh in the chest. Although the ASI was taken to a local hospital, he was declared dead. The firing took place just metres from the Chheharta police station, but the police took half an hour to arrive at the scene, an eyewitness said.

The delay gave the assailants another chance to strike and kill the injured ASI, he said. SSP (rural) Preet Paul Singh said: “The girl was pursuing IELTS from an institute in Chheharta and wanted to join her brother in Australia.”

Rana and his accomplices had been teasing her for the past few days and she had talked to her father about it.

Rana, who hails from Chhiden village, lived in Chheharta. Amritsar Police Commissioner Ram Singh said the Station House Officer of the Chheharta police station had been suspended for negligence.