Rs 1 cr ex-gratia each for two Pb cops found dead

Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 1 crore each for the kin of two police personnel found dead with bullet wounds at a checkpost near the India-Pakistan border in Gurdaspur district on Sunday.

The bodies of ASI Gurnam Singh and Home Guard Ashok Kumar, who were posted at Adhian, about 2 km from the international border, were found inside the checkpost on Sunday.

In a post on X, Mann said, “Salute to the bravery and supreme sacrifice of martyrs ASI Gurnam Singh and PHG Ashok Kumar, who laid down their lives in the line of duty. “The Punjab government will provide an ex-gratia of Rs 1 crore each to their families, while the HDFC Bank will provide an additional insurance amount of Rs 1 crore each.”

“We stand strongly with our martyrs and their families. Their sacrifice inspires us all to perform our duties with honour and courage,” the chief minister added. A forensic team visited the spot on Monday, a police officer said, adding that the case is being probed from all angles. The matter came to light when the sarpanch of Adhian village, Kamaljeet Singh, visited the checkpost after being informed by the Dorangla SHO that both policemen were not answering their calls.