E-rickshaw driver from Jharkhand shot dead by unidentified assailants in Punjab's Phagwara

Phagwara, Oct 28 (PTI) A migrant e-rickshaw driver was shot dead by unidentified assailants when he was returning home after dropping a passenger in Baba Gadhiya locality of Phagwara, police said on Tuesday.

The victim was identified as Kuldeep Dhanwar, 32, who originally hailed from Gumla district in Jharkhand and was currently residing in Sukhchainana Nagar, Phagwara.

The incident occurred after around midnight. Preliminary investigations suggest that unidentified assailants opened fire from close range at Kuldeep, who was hit by a bullet in the abdomen and two in his leg.

The police said that the motive behind the attack remains unclear, and all possible angles, including personal enmity and attempted robbery, are being explored.

A severely injured Kuldeep was initially rushed to the Civil Hospital in Phagwara by his family but was later referred to the Civil Hospital in Jalandhar, where he succumbed to his injuries during treatment.

Kuldeep's wife told the police that she received a distress call from her husband shortly after midnight, informing her that he had been shot. She and her son rushed to the site and, with the assistance of the police, shifted Kuldeep to the hospital.

A case has been registered under Section 103 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 25 of the Arms Act at the City Police Station, Phagwara, on the basis of the statement given by the victim's wife.

"The matter is under investigation. Teams have been formed to identify and trace the accused. CCTV footage from the nearby areas is being examined," a police official said.

The body has been sent for post-mortem examination, and further proceedings are underway. PTI Cor SUN RT RT RT