An over-reaction by Punjab Police personnel cost a young woman her life after the car in which she was travelling was shot at by the police at a security barricade on today, sources said.
Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Suresh Arora admitted that the victim was killed in a case of firing following "mistaken identity".
The woman was travelling in a car which was signalled to stop by police personnel at a security barricade set up on the Nabha-Cheekha road near Samana town. However, the car driver did not stop and tried to jump the barricade.
Following this, the police party at the barricade opened fire. One bullet hit the woman. She succumbed to her injuries after some time.
The police are investigating the circumstances of the incident.
Residents of nearby villages caught hold of one policeman involved in the firing incident even while his other colleagues fled from the spot in a black coloured Mahindra Scorpio.
Punjab was put on high alert following the Sunday morning sensational jailbreak at the maximum security Nabha Jail, 100 km from Chandigarh, in which 10-12 armed men attacked the jail and escaped with six prisoners, including two Khalistani terrorists and four gangsters.
(With IANS inputs)
