Head Constable Nitin shot dead at Chandigarh home; son Armaan taken into custody
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
A Chandigarh Police Head Constable was shot dead at his official residence in Sector 22, Chandigarh, on Friday, 25 September 2026, in what officials are treating as a suspected domestic incident. The deceased, identified as Nitin, was posted in the Accounts Branch of the Chandigarh Police. His son, Armaan Singh, has been taken into custody for detailed interrogation, according to senior officers.
How the Incident Unfolded
Police received an alert about the shooting at Nitin's official quarters in Sector 22 early on Friday morning. A team from Sector 17 police station was dispatched to the scene and launched an immediate investigation. Nitin was rushed to a hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.
A country-made pistol was recovered from the spot. Forensic experts were called in to collect evidence from the residence, and the surrounding area was examined to reconstruct the sequence of events.
Son's Contradictory Account Raises Suspicion
According to police, both Nitin's wife and son Armaan Singh were present at the residence at the time of the shooting. When investigators arrived, Armaan initially claimed that unidentified outsiders had killed his father — an account that police said they found inconsistent with the evidence at the scene. Officers grew suspicious of his statements and subjected him to intensive questioning before formally taking him into custody.
Senior Superintendent of Police Kanwardeep Kaur told reporters that the investigation is underway and that no firm conclusions had been reached at this stage. Station House Officer (SHO) Sudesh Kumar separately stated it was too early to comment on the circumstances or motive behind the killing.
Earlier Case Adds a Layer of Scrutiny
Investigators are also examining a prior case reportedly involving Armaan Singh — an earlier vehicle-accident incident in which people were allegedly hit by an SUV. He is currently out on bail in that matter. Police are probing whether there is any connection between that case and Friday's shooting, though no such link has been officially established as of now.
The body has been sent for post-mortem examination. Officials said the full picture will emerge once forensic reports and statements are fully analysed.
A Disturbing Pattern Across the Region
Friday's killing comes against the backdrop of a troubling recent pattern of violence targeting police personnel in Punjab and the Union Territory. Just a week earlier, on 18 September, Punjab Police Assistant Sub-Inspector Harjit Singh was shot dead in Amritsar while on duty. Before that, on 11 September, Assistant Sub-Inspector Jaswant Singh, posted in Ajnala, Amritsar, narrowly escaped death when motorcycle-borne assailants attacked him and a bullet passed through his turban.
Unlike those attacks — which bore the hallmarks of targeted external violence — Friday's incident in Chandigarh appears to be of an entirely different character, with scrutiny focused on those who were inside the house at the time. Investigators are expected to file a formal case once the interrogation and forensic examination are complete.