Two Congress activists, who were allegedly shot at by a Youth Akali Dal (YAD) leader late last evening, have succumbed to their injuries. The incident took place at Paradise Mall on the college road here.

Gurmeet Singh (30) of Kundal village died on the way to Sriganganagar last night, while Surinder Bhambhu (28) of Basant Nagar died today.

Vishu Kamboj (31), a former vice-president of the YAD (Malwa zone), told the city police at the Civil Hospital here that he was in his shop at the mall when Kundal village sarpanch Jagdaman Singh Minku, Surinder Bhambhu, Gurmeet Singh, Baldev Singh and four unidentified persons reached there and attacked him with sharp-edged weapons. He took shelter in a shopping complex and opened fire with his licensed revolver in self-defence, he claimed.

Vishu alleged that the assailants wanted to settle a score with him for supporting SAD BC wing state vice-president and Pattisadiq village sarpanch Prithvi Raj, who was recently attacked near the Panchayat Samiti office here. On the basis of his statement, the police registered a case under Sections 307, 324, 323, 506, 148 and 149 of the IPC last night against Minku and others.

The police today recorded the statement of Minku, who along with his three accomplices had been admitted to the Civil Hospital after the clash. Minku said they had gone for shopping in the mall, where Vishu resorted to unprovoked firing.

A case has been registered against Vishu, Prithvi Raj, his son Vijay Kumar, Kundal ex-sarpanch Jasbir Singh and Bhagirath of Tajapatti village under Sections 302, 307 and 120B of the IPC.

DIG Rajinder Singh visited the scene of the crime today along with SSP Dr Ketan Baliram Bhagat and SP Amarjit Singh Matwani.

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