Ludhiana: A 25-year-old police constable deployed to protect a luxury car showroom following gang threats was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head in the early hours of Saturday.The officer, identified as Anoosh Masih, was stationed outside the showroom near ITB Chowk — a site recently placed under police guard following an extortion attempt and a previous firing incident. The shooting occurred around midnight in Mullanpur town. Police sources claim that Masih was sitting in a vehicle outside the showroom with a fellow officer. Moments after Masih reportedly sent his colleague to fetch water, a single gunshot rang out. The colleague returned to find Masih slumped in the car seat with a fatal head wound.Accidental Fire or Suicide?Investigators from the Dakha Police Station and a forensic team arrived shortly after to cordoned off the area. While the circumstances remain under investigation, senior officials are currently leaning toward a tragic mishap.DSP (Dakha) Varinder Singh Khosa has confirmed the death and noted that preliminary evidence suggests the injury may have been the result of an accidental discharge. “We are probing all angles, but it appears the deceased may have suffered the wound due to accidental fire,” DSP Khosa stated. Police have initiated inquest proceedings under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).Background of the GuardThe showroom had been under heightened security since Jan 16, after the owner reported receiving extortion demands from local gang syndicates. The victim, Anoosh Masih, was a resident of Lakkhan Kalan village in Gurdaspur. His service history suggests that Masih joined the force on compassionate grounds following the death of his father.An autopsy was scheduled for Saturday at Ludhiana’s civil hospital to determine the exact trajectory of the bullet and the cause of death. The sudden death has sent a wave of grief through the Ludhiana police force, which has been on high alert due to a recent spike in gang-related extortion calls across the district.
