Written by Raakhi JaggaLudhiana | December 11, 2025 01:57 PM IST 3 min readUnidentified assailants allegedly shot dead the son of the priest of Jodi Temple in Punjab’s Fazilka district in the Abohar court complex Thursday morning.The deceased was identified as Golu Pandit, the son of Avnish Pandit, who is the priest of Jodi Temple in Abohar. The shooting occurred around 10.30 am, sending shockwaves throughout the town.According to Gurmeet Singh, Senior Superintendent of Police, Fazilka, who reached the spot shortly after the shooting, Golu had come to the court for a hearing in a case under the Arms Act when he was shot at.Golu was accompanied by his friend Sonu and a few others for the hearing. According to the police, three assailants came in a white car and only one of them fired at Golu.“While he was coming out after the hearing, a few unidentified assailants came in a white car and fired four or five rounds at him. He was taken to a hospital, where he succumbed to injuries,” said SSP Gurmeet Singh. Family members of Golu Pandit at Civil Hospital, Abohar. (Express Photo)He added that the initial investigation points towards inter-gang rivalry as the motive behind the murder. “Golu had about six or seven pending cases and was currently out on bail. We have almost identified the assailants, but do not want to reveal details at this stage. They also have several pending cases.”Assuring strict action, the SSP said, “We will give exemplary punishment to the culprits. No one will be allowed to take the law into their own hands. People need not worry; the police are here to take care of them. We will deal with the culprits strictly.”Story continues below this adAfter the firing, heavy security has been deployed at the court complex and the hospital, sources said.The firing, which occurred in the court complex’s parking area, has raised serious concerns about law and order in the district. “The firing happened when courts are bustling with activity. This shows the culprits have no fear of the police,” said Subodh Verma, a BJP leader from Fazilka.Recent shootingsThis was not the first such incident in the region. In July, Sanjay Verma, a well-known businessman of Wear Well Garments, was shot dead by bike-borne assailants in the main market of Abohar.On November 15, RSS volunteer Naveen Arora was murdered in neighbouring Ferozepur district. Earlier, on December 2, bike-borne assailants opened fire on a Punjab Roadways bus in Ferozepur. Though no one was injured, the incident created panic as the bus was carrying nearly 25 passengers. The police attributed the firing to personal enmity.Story continues below this ad“These repeated incidents are alarming. People are opening fire without any fear of the police,” said Ashwani Sharma, working president of the Punjab BJP.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:FazilkaPunjab