SRINAGAR: The District Courts in Sector 43 were bustling with the usual mid-afternoon activity when the eruption of gunfire shattered the routine. Harprit K Singh, an Indian Civil Accounts Services officer, had arrived for what was intended to be another round of mediation in his ongoing matrimonial dispute. Little did anyone expect that this session would end in violence and tragedy, Chandigarh newspaper The Tribune reported.
Harprit was there with his parents, seeking resolution in his troubled marriage to Dr Amitoj Kaur. The mediation had been ongoing, a process marked by strained negotiations and simmering tensions. Today was the fourth attempt to resolve their differences, with Advocate Dheeraj Thakur facilitating the discussions. The session was supposed to be straightforward, but a dark turn awaited them.
Malwinder Singh Sidhu, Harprit’s father-in-law and a retired Assistant Inspector General of Punjab Police, was also present. Known for his stern demeanour and authoritative presence, Sidhu had been an unexpected participant in the mediation, a complication that many had tried to avoid.
As the mediation was about to start, Sidhu requested directions to the restroom. Harprit, in a bid to be courteous despite their strained relations, offered to show him the way. They walked out together, leaving the room behind. It was a brief respite from the emotional charge of the proceedings, but it soon became the scene of unspeakable horror.
In the corridor, Sidhu pulled out a .32 caliber pistol—a weapon he had managed to smuggle into the court complex—and opened fire. The first round was a missed warning shot, ricocheting off the door. The second and third bullets found their mark, striking Harprit in the chest and neck. The final shot was fired in anger and desperation, a tragic punctuation to the family’s fractured history.
Chaos ensued. The sound of gunfire sent people running, scrambling for safety. Sidhu’s rage was palpable as he remained in the corridor, his actions frozen in a violent tableau. The court’s security, lawyers, and Harprit’s mother quickly sprang into action. They subdued Sidhu, locking him in a room while they contacted the police.
Harprit was rushed to PGI in a private car. The journey was fraught with urgency—Advocate Deepak Wadhwa, who had taken it upon himself to transport Harprit, navigated through heavy traffic and red lights in a desperate bid to save him. Despite their efforts, Harprit was declared dead on arrival. His death was a devastating blow, not just to his family but to all who had known him.
As the news spread, Senior Officers IG Raj Kumar Singh and UT SSP Kanwardeep Kaur arrived at the scene. The forensic team began their work, combing through the evidence: the recovered .32 pistol, four spent bullet casings, and three unused bullets. They faced the grim task of piecing together the sequence of events and understanding how Sidhu had managed to bring a firearm into a courthouse.
The preliminary investigation revealed the deep-seated bitterness between Harprit and Amitoj, which had led to this fatal confrontation. Sidhu’s actions were traced back to the escalating animosity and a simmering sense of injustice he felt for his daughter’s predicament. The court’s security lapse was a crucial point of inquiry—how had a retired police officer managed to carry a weapon so easily?
A case was swiftly filed against Malwinder Singh Sidhu under Section 103(1) of the BNS and Sections 25, 27, 54, and 59 of the Arms Act. His arrest marked the beginning of a legal process that would unfold in the days to come. The incident left a shadow over the court complex, a reminder of how personal grievances can turn deadly and how the quest for justice can sometimes be marred by tragedy.
As the community and the legal system grappled with the aftermath, the story of Harprit K Singh became a sombre chapter in the annals of courtroom history—a stark reminder of the fragile line between order and chaos