Phagwara: A high-ranking Punjab Police official, DSP Yogesh Kumar, died early Tuesday morning, April 21, 2026, after sustaining a gunshot wound from his service weapon at his official residence in Phagwara. The incident occurred at approximately 7:30 am in the police quarters located near the Phagwara Sadar Police Station. Kumar, who was in his mid-fifties, was serving with the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) and had recently been transferred to the Bureau of Investigation (BOI) in Chandigarh just three days prior to the tragedy.
Preliminary investigations and statements from family members present at the scene suggest that the weapon may have discharged accidentally while the officer was cleaning it. DSP Kumar had reportedly intended to deposit the weapon following his recent transfer. According to senior police officials, after the bullet pierced his chest, Kumar was immediately rushed by family members and fellow officers to Johal Hospital in Jalandhar. However, he was declared brought dead upon arrival by the medical staff.
Kapurthala Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Gaurav Toora and SP Madhvi Sharma visited the spot to oversee the investigation. While the family’s initial input points toward an accidental firing, authorities have not ruled out any possibilities and are examining the case from multiple angles, including potential stress factors. The body has been sent to the Civil Hospital for a post-mortem examination by a board of doctors to determine the exact circumstances of the discharge. Kumar is survived by his wife, parents, a son, and a daughter.
