A woman officer of Punjab governments Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) was shot dead by a chemist in her office Kharar town of Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar district in Punjab on Friday.
Following the incident the accused shot himself a few minutes later. The woman was identified as Neha Shorie (36), the zonal licensing official for the Food and Drug Chemical Laboratory. The victim's 6-year-old niece was present at the office during the incident.
According to the police, a 50-year-old Balwinder Singh came in his motorcycle to the victim's office around 11 am and fired two shots at her head while shouting 'Happy Holi'. He then tried to flee the scene but was caught by the people.
The scared Balwinder took out his revolver and shot himself on the chest and head. Both the victim and accused were rushed to a private hospital in Chandigarh but the doctors declared Shorie brought dead. The police had taken Balwinder into custody and shifted him to Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), where he later succumbed to the injuries.
Balwinder used to own a pharmacy in Morinda of Rupnagar district, Punjab and Shorie had cancelled its license back in 2009, for the possession of some intoxicants without proper documents.
"In September 2009, Neha was posted as a Drug Inspector in Ropar district, when she raided Balwinder's shop. During the raid, 35 types of tablets used by drug addicts were recovered and Balwinder could not produce any supporting documentation. That was when she cancelled his licence," said Mohali SSP Harcharan Singh Bhullar, reports The Indian Express.
Shoree is survived by a two-year-old daughter and husband Varun Monga, who works in a bank. Her niece had accompanied her to the office because of her ongoing school vacations, police said. Balwinder is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son, adds the report.
The Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh has directed the Director General of Police (DGP) to ensure an immediate investigation into the murder.
