Naveen Arora, 32 — a third-generation RSS volunteer, grandson of the late senior RSS leader and respected social worker Dina Nath and son of Baldev Raj Arora — was shot dead by two motorcycle-borne assailants in Ferozepur’s main bazaar on late Saturday evening, triggering outrage, market shutdowns and a high-intensity police probe as a Khalistani outfit claimed responsibility.
Ferozepur’s usually bustling Mochi Bazaar was transformed into a scene of shock and anger after Naveen, who ran a dupatta shop, was struck by a bullet to the head near the Baba Noor Shah Wali dargah while walking home to pick up his children. Shopkeepers and passersby rushed him to a private hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead. The family has refused to cremate the body until justice is delivered.
CCTV footage from nearby establishments captured two attackers fleeing the spot on a motorcycle. The police said that teams have been formed to examine video evidence and eyewitness accounts.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (City) Sukhwinder Singh and other senior officers, with SSP Bhupinder Singh overseeing the response, have dispatched multiple squads to identify and apprehend the suspects. Officials described the killing as a likely targeted execution and said the probe is in its early stages.
The brutal killing sparked immediate political and civic condemnation. Markets across Ferozepur wore a deserted look on Sunday after traders - many of whom are close to Naveen’s family - closed shops to protest and demand swift arrests. “Today shopkeepers have closed them altogether,” said BJP leader in Ferozepur Heera Sodhi, adding that local RSS volunteers and traders would not rest until the perpetrators were caught.
A post attributed to the Khalistani group ‘Sher-e-Punjab Brigade’ claimed responsibility, describing the killing as a corrective strike against those they accused of “assimilating Sikhs into Hindutva”. The message, which could not be independently verified by police, threatened continued attacks until the group’s objective of a separatist state was achieved. Authorities said that they were treating the claim seriously and were investigating any links.
Political leaders seized on the incident to attack the state Government’s record on law and order. Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar lamented that the murder exposed “law-and-order failures” under the AAP Government, accusing it of allowing criminal elements to run a parallel administration. Union Minister of State (Railways) Ravneet Singh Bittu described the killing as a “stark reminder” of rising impunity and demanded tougher action and “real justice” for the family.
Senior RSS functionary Ashwani Dhawan called for strict and immediate action, while local BJP workers staged protests outside police lines demanding the quick arrest of the assailants. Police said that they have collected CCTV clips and were conducting forensic analysis; statements from eyewitnesses are also being recorded.
Family members and local leaders said that Naveen came from a family with deep organizational roots. His grandfather Dina Nath Arora was a widely respected social worker and senior RSS volunteer, his father Baldev Raj Arora remains an active local functionary, and Naveen himself was described as the third generation to serve the movement.
