Ferozepur, India — An alleged hitman connected to the murder of RSS activist Naveen Arora was killed during a police operation in Fazilka district early Thursday morning. Police reported that the suspect was shot in a gunfight while authorities were attempting to recover weapons and arrest accomplices.
According to Ferozepur Senior Superintendent of Police Bhupinder Singh, it remains uncertain whether the suspect, identified as Badal, was killed by police gunfire or by shots fired from his accomplices during the incident, which also left a police constable injured. A judicial inquiry will be initiated to clarify the circumstances surrounding the shooting, as is standard procedure in such cases.
Badal, along with another assailant, was implicated in the fatal shooting of Arora on November 15, when the activist was returning home from his shop. Authorities arrested two local suspects four days after the incident, identified as Harsh and Kanav. The alleged mastermind, Gursimran—also known as Kali—was apprehended the following day during a separate confrontation with police.
DIG-Harmanbir Singh Gill reported that Badal was arrested on Wednesday in Zira, roughly 45 kilometers from Ferozepur. During questioning, he disclosed plans to be picked up by accomplices in a nearby village to escape to Rajasthan, which is in close proximity to the Pakistan border.
Acting on this information, a police team transported Badal to a cremation ground aiming to recover weapons linked to the crime. Suddenly, two gunmen opened fire, prompting the police to return fire. During this exchange, both Badal and head constable Balaur Singh sustained injuries and were transported to a local hospital, where Badal later succumbed to his wounds.
Despite two arrests and ongoing investigations into the case, authorities have not disclosed a motive for Arora’s murder. DIG Gill indicated that police are currently examining the potential involvement of a foreign handler in orchestrating the crime. He noted that releasing further details could adversely affect the ongoing investigation.
So far, other suspects, including Gursimran, Harsh, Kanav, and a woman named Bhawna from Ludhiana, who is accused of harboring one of the alleged perpetrators, have been taken into custody. The investigation continues as police seek to uncover more about the underlying motives and networks involved in this violent act.