Chandigarh, Jan 11, 2025
Gurpreet Gogi, a legislator of the ruling AAP in Punjab, died under mysterious circumstances from a gunshot wound in the head as his licensed pistol went off accidentally at his home in Ludhiana, a police official said on Saturday.
Gogi, 58, a legislator from Ludhiana (West), was hit by a bullet at his home in the Ghumar Mandi area around midnight on Friday soon after he returned from a public function, police said.
His wife, who was in another room, heard the gunshot and rushed to his room to find him lying in a pool of blood, police said.
Joint Commissioner of Police Jaskaran Singh Teja told the media the bullet pierced Gogi’s forehead. However, he said, the exact cause of death would be determined once the post-mortem report is received.
Soon after the accidental firing, the legislator was rushed to Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) where he was declared dead on arrival, police said.
Police Commissioner Kuldeep Chahal and Deputy Commissioner Jitendra Jorwal, too, rushed to the DMCH.
Former Congress leader Gogi, who joined the AAP in 2022, defeated two-time Congress legislator Bharat Bhushan Ashu in his maiden Assembly election.
Gogi, survived by his wife Sukhchain Kaur Gogi, a son and daughter, had diverse commercial interests in a private hostel, gun house and taxi service.
He contested his first election as a councillor on a Congress ticket in 2002 and won four Municipal Corporation in Ludhiana elections thereafter.
When he switched loyalties, Gogi had said he decided to switch to the AAP because “hard work wasn’t paying in the Congress and there was no promotion of dedicated workers”.
He loved to ride his Porsche and went to file his nomination for the Assembly election on an old scooter gifted to him by his mother.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann expressed shock over Gogi’s death. “Got the sad news of the demise of our party’s respected MLA from Ludhiana West Gurpreet Gogi-ji. I am very sad to hear this, Gogi-ji was a very good person. Heartfelt condolences to the family in this hour of grief,” said Mann in a post on X.
State AAP president Aman Arora also condoled the death of Gogi. “My deepest condolences to the grieving family during this difficult time. May they find the strength to endure this painful loss. I pray to the Almighty that his noble soul rests in eternal peace,” he said.
State Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring also expressed grief. “I am short of words after hearing about this tragic news. My sympathies are with the family members and supporters. May Waheguru-ji grant eternal peace to the departed soul,” Warring said in a post on X.(Agency)
