Hoshiarpur: A 52-year-old local leader and sitting sarpanch belonging to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was brutally murdered outside his residence in Anandgarh village of Punjab’s Hoshiarpur district. The deceased, identified as Satpal Singh alias Minta, was targeted by a group of assailants over an ongoing personal rivalry linked to a dispute mediation attempt.
According to family members and eyewitnesses, the attack took place when nearly a dozen individuals arrived near Minta’s house under the pretext of asking him to move his parked vehicle. As the sarpanch stepped outside to move the car, the assailants intentionally rammed their vehicle into him multiple times before launching a violent assault with sharp-edged weapons. The deceased’s son, Rahul, stated that the motive stemmed from a recent altercation between local youths in a neighboring village, in which his father had attempted to intervene and broker a peaceful settlement. Aggrieved by the mediation efforts, one of the involved factions harbored animosity toward the sarpanch and orchestrated the attack.
The violent incident sparked immediate tension and panic across Anandgarh village. Local residents and family members managed to confront the attackers during the chaos and apprehended one suspect on the spot before handing him over to law enforcement. Although the victim was rushed to the Government Medical College Hospital in Hoshiarpur under police supervision, attending doctors declared him dead upon arrival. Senior police officials, led by DSP City Kulbhushan Sharma, arrived at the crime scene to inspect the area, secure forensic evidence, and initiate formal legal proceedings. Teams have been dispatched to trace and arrest the remaining fleeing suspects.