A village sarpanch affiliated with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was shot dead during a wedding function in Punjab’s Tarn Taran district, police said.

Harpinder Singh was attending a wedding ceremony at a farmhouse located along the Tarn Taran-Bathinda National Highway when two unidentified assailants opened fire. He died in the attack. His cousin, Jarmanjit Singh, sustained injuries and was rushed for medical treatment.

The incident has triggered concern in the region, with authorities probing the circumstances surrounding the shooting.

Similar killing reported in Amritsar last month

The killing comes weeks after another sarpanch linked to AAP was shot dead in a separate incident in Amritsar.

Jarmal Singh had gone to a wedding hall to attend a relative’s marriage when unidentified men shot him in the head. He later succumbed to injuries during treatment at a hospital.

In that case, Jarnail Singh was targeted when gunmen entered the venue and opened fire. Video footage retrieved from the wedding hall showed two attackers approaching from behind and shooting him in the back of the head. The sudden firing led to panic among guests, who scrambled for safety.

Police later arrested two shooters along with five other accused in connection with the Amritsar incident.

Investigations are ongoing in the Tarn Taran case to identify and apprehend the assailants.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has confirmed that the flight recorders from the Learjet 45 aircraft involved in the fatal crash in Baramati were damaged due to prolonged exposure to intense heat.

The accident occurred on January 28, 2026, when the chartered Learjet 45, registered as VT-SSK, crash-landed at the runway threshold in Baramati, Maharashtra. The investigation is being conducted strictly under the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2017, and in accordance with international standards laid down in ICAO Annex 13, as stated by the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

Both flight recorders exposed to fire

Officials said the aircraft was fitted with two independent flight recorders. Both devices were subjected to intense heat for a prolonged period during the crash and sustained fire damage.

Despite the damage, the Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR), manufactured by L3-Communications, has been successfully downloaded at the AAIB Flight Recorder Laboratory. Meanwhile, the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR), manufactured by Honeywell, is currently undergoing detailed technical examination.

Authorities have sought assistance from the Accredited Representative of the State of Manufacture to provide specialised support in retrieving data from the damaged CVR.

Investigation to remain evidence-based

The AAIB stated that it is following all prescribed technical and procedural protocols to ensure a thorough, objective and evidence-based investigation. The bureau reiterated its commitment to transparency and said further details will be shared at an appropriate stage.

The investigation body also urged stakeholders to refrain from speculation while the probe is underway. Earlier, authorities had emphasised that no premature conclusions should be drawn until the analysis is fully completed. The black box data is expected to provide crucial insights into the sequence of events leading to the crash.

Five people died in the crash

According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), five people, including the crew members, were on board the chartered aircraft flying from Mumbai to Baramati when it crash-landed at the runway threshold.

Among those killed was Ajit Pawar, who was travelling to Baramati to campaign for the Zilla Panchayat elections.

With the West Bengal Assembly elections approaching, the Bharatiya Janata Party has stepped up its campaign efforts, announcing plans to take out nine Parivartan Rath Yatras across different regions of the state. The campaign mirrors the party’s strategy during the 2021 Assembly elections.

First and second phase schedule

The first phase of the yatra will commence on March 1 from Cooch Behar South, Krishnanagar South, Garhbeta, and Raydighi-Kulti.

The second phase is scheduled to begin on March 2 from Islampur, Sandeshkhali, Haldia (assumed correction from “Hassan”), and Amta.

No yatras will take place on March 3 and 4 due to Holi celebrations. The campaign will resume on March 5.

Between March 5 and 10, the BJP plans to cover over 5,000 km across assembly constituencies in the state. The party has also announced plans to hold 60 large public meetings and more than 300 smaller gatherings during the campaign.

Leaders to attend

Senior party leaders are expected to participate in the launch events. These include Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will attend the concluding rally at Kolkata’s Brigade Parade Ground.

Other leaders slated to attend include BJP President J. P. Nadda, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and Smriti Irani.

BJP leaders attack TMC

Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari clarified that the campaign is being termed a “Parivartan Yatra” rather than a Rath Yatra, saying it aims to bring political change in the state.

West Bengal BJP President Samik Bhattacharya criticised Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and alleged that corruption had become synonymous with the state government under the All India Trinamool Congress. He said that the promise of restoring democracy in 2011 had not been fulfilled and accused the ruling party of widespread corruption.