AAP MLA Gurpreet Gogi Dies After Accidentally Shooting Himself: Police

Punjab MLA Gurpreet Gogi, 58, died after he accidentally shot himself in the head at his Ludhiana residence late Friday night. A senior police official said that the incident occurred while the MLA was cleaning his gun. On the other hand, the city police chief is verifying “if it was a suicide or accidental fire”.

The incident took place at Gogi’s residence in Ghumar Mandi. He was rushed to Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) but was declared dead.

“The MLA received a gunshot injury in his head. The autopsy report will confirm other details. It is being verified if it was a suicide or accidental fire,” Kuldeep Singh Chahal, Police Commissioner Ludhiana said.

“Prima facie, it was an accidental fire when the MLA was cleaning his weapon. He received a gunshot injury in the head from his 25-bore pistol. Autopsy report will ascertain other details,” Shubham Aggarwal, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Investigation), Ludhiana, said.

A four-time Congress councillor in Ludhiana Municipal Corporation and former district president of Ludhiana Congress (Urban), Gogi quit the Congress after 22 years to join AAP ahead of the Punjab elections in 2022 and was given a ticket from Ludhiana West. A first-time MLA, he had defeated former Congress minister and two-time MLA Bharat Bhushan Ashu by more than 7,000 votes.

Just before the incident Gogi had met Punjab Vidhan Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan and Rajya Sabha member Balbir Singh Seechewal for Buddha Nullah cleaning. He had also visited a temple in BRS Nagar where a theft had taken place and had assured justice in the case.

Gogi, in an interview, said that he decided to join AAP because “hard work wasn’t paying” in Congress and “no promotion of dedicated workers”.

He was into antiques, guns and vehicles. He had a big collection of vintage cars and antique guns, postal tickets, coins and books.