Attack on uniform, no personal feud: Slain cop’s kin

Ghanie-ke Bangar(Gurdaspur): The family of slain assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Joga Singh has ruled out any personal enmity behind his killing, asserting that the attack appears to be aimed at the police force itself — reviving painful memories of earlier targeted attacks on policemen in Punjab.Speaking with grief yet restraint, Prabhjit Singh, younger brother of the deceased officer, described Joga Singh as "a humble, simple and deeply respected person" whose life, he said, "was an example for others.""Police uniform has come under target, recalling how policemen had faced similar threats during Punjab's militancy years. My brother worked fearlessly. He had no personal animosity with anyone", said he.ASI Joga Singh, posted with the traffic department of Amritsar Police Commissionerate, was shot dead by unidentified bike-borne assailants near Majitha in Amritsar district early Sunday morning while travelling by scooter from Batala to report for duty.The brazen killing has triggered concern within policing circles over the possibility of renewed attempts to target security personnel.The family also dismissed claims made by Tehreek-e-Taliban Hindustan (TTH) on social media that it was responsible for the murder. Prabhjit termed the claim a possible "diversionary tactic," pointing to the Feb 22 killings of ASI Gurnam Singh and home guard jawan Ashok Kumar at a police checkpoint in Gurdaspur district, where TTH had similarly claimed involvement. Subsequent investigations, however, found those claims to be baseless.The emotional toll on the family was visible as relatives gathered at their native village, awaiting the arrival of Joga Singh's children from Canada before performing the last rites. According to Prabhjit, the officer's son is expected to arrive by Monday evening or Tuesday morning, while his daughter may take another day or two to reach India. Cremation will take place upon arrival of both of them, he said.Amid the mourning, the family also voiced mild concern over the pace of the investigation. Without directly accusing police, Prabhjit remarked that law enforcement agencies often solve high-profile cases immediately. "If cases involving VIP thefts can be cracked within hours, one hopes the killers of my brother can also be traced quickly," he said.Cops Probing Multiple AnglesPolice officers said investigation into ASI Joga Singh's killing is progressing on multiple fronts but cautioned against premature conclusions.DIG-border range Sandeep Goel, who is supervising the probe, said no arrests had been made so far. He said investigators are examining every angle, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Hindustan claim, though authorities are not attaching significant credibility to it at this stage. "It could be anything. We are investigating all possibilities, It would be premature to make comments on such a heinous crime without solid evidence and detailed investigation", said Goel.